Scourging Fire, Blazing Soul
by Nerdyesque
Summary: What if Veronica didn't grow up with the 09ers, but came into their lives at a pivotal time? How would her presence affect Duncan, Lilly, Logan, the Kanes, and the Echolls? Also, who is Veronica without Keith Mars' loving protection? LoVe in a slightly twisted universe of my own making.
1. How to Make Friends in Ten Minutes

**A/N: I'm currently in the middle of writing two other stories from a completely different universe, yet I couldn't help myself about writing this story, especially when I started watching VM again and was reminded of the tragic romantic epic that is LoVe. This somewhat follows S 1-2 canon, but with a few tweaks: what if Veronica didn't grow up with the 09ers, but came into their lives prior to Lily's death? How would her presence affect Duncan, Lily, Logan, the Kanes, and the Echolls? Also, who is Veronica without Keith Mars' loving protection?

* * *

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First Day of Junior Year

"Veronica, do not get kicked out of this school, do you hear me? Please hold your temper, I'm begging you," my mother furtively whispered into my ear as we sat waiting for the principal. "You'll break the court's agreement if you're expelled from here; this is literally your last hope."

The words burned like fingers of acid through my ear canal into my vulnerable brain, bringing with it a desire to set something on fire. Of course, setting fires was pretty much how we ended up in this beach resort shit-hole town in the first place, so probably not best to go with my first instinct.

"Yeah Ma, I got it."

She furrowed her brow at my tone, but couldn't respond to the snideness because the grand poobah himself walked through the door and sat behind the desk. He was a middle-aged well-kept man so naturally my mom straightened up and adjusted the fit of her dress across her chest. It's such an instinctive reaction to men, she's not even aware she does it. My eye flicked to the ring on his left hand and his gaze on her breasts: score one for Lianne Reynolds Mars Fulton.

Ten to one the cluster of frames in the upper right hand corner of his desk were of his loving wife and kids who'd find themselves turned face down sixty seconds after we walked out this door so he could rub one out to the statuesque vision that is my mom. Disgust for the male half of the species filled me and I tuned out most of their bullshit small talk, only snapping back to attention when Mr. Moorehead pulled out the bulging jacket of my student file.

Hey, when you're a "disenfranchised and disturbed young lady," as on admirer wrote in a psych eval, you pick up papers.

"So, Mrs. Fulton, this is Veronica's third school in three years." His long fingers flipped through a series of pages. "I see vandalism, destruction of school property, and arson are among many of her _talents_."

"Gotta play to your strengths," I smart-mouthed, managing to keep my grin through the sharp bite of my mother's inner thigh pinch. The damn woman knows exactly where to grab and twist for maximum pain.

"Yet for all this, she maintained a respectable three point four grade point average."

"I'm a genius, what can I say?" Well, technically my IQ score straddles the line, but what are a few points between friends?

Dull brown eyes assessed me sternly, disgust curling his lip back as he stared at my boho fashionable green army jacket over a white tank top tucked into a black skirt. I'm sure he wouldn't be surprised by my comfortably worn black army combat boots with big enough soles to boost me a few inches past five-one, my actual height.

"I see the copy of the judge's order stating this is your last chance before you'll be thrown into Juvie. I hope you understand the gift I'm giving you by accepting you into my school. Do not make me regret giving you this new opportunity."

I managed not to roll my eyes and nodded instead, ignoring the nauseatingly familiar stripper perfume wafting from my mother as she leaned forward in an effort to again show off her cleavage from the best angle while cocking her head slightly to the right. It was her patented "I'm cute, dumb, and wanna be full of your cum," look that most men fell for hook, line, and sinker. The principal was no different.

"Oh she does understand, Mr. Moorehead. I can promise you my daughter will be the best-behaved student at this school."

His air of authority dissolved in the sun of her focused being, another willing puppy slavering at her heels for her attention. I could almost admire my mom for how she handled men, but then it would mean admitting I had feelings for the woman beside anger and hatred, something I didn't see giving up for the foreseeable future.

"I will take a personal interest in her case and make sure she keeps on the straight and narrow."

I quietly snorted to myself, wondering if the "straight and narrow" was principal-speak for his penis. Nothing about men surprised me anymore, especially when my mother was involved.

"Now she should pick up her schedule from the front desk and go on before the next bell rings."

We were ushered out of his personal sanctum into the busy outer office and he pointed out where to pick up my new schedule. Lianne remained close to him, speaking about God knows what, so I walked up to the desk and waited for some kid named Wallace to appear.

As I leaned my hip against the counter, I let my gaze wander through the room, more out of boredom instead of real interest, and stopped on two boys sitting against the opposite wall, just outside Mr. Moorehead's office. The first boy, mouth motoring but obviously no one home upstairs, was blond, buff, and tan: typical California surfer. His companion, however, was different somehow, chocolate to the other guy's vanilla: tall, tan, blond streaked brown hair (artfully messy like he'd just rolled out of bed), and melting caramel brown eyes currently doing an x-rayed visual stripping of my own fine self with a sexy half-smirk turning up kissable lips.

Wait, what the fuck? Melting brown eyes? Kissable lips? Who the hell are you and why have you taken over my brain? Veronica Mars does not think boys are cute or sexy; she chews them up and spits out their bones if they dare enter her sphere. Now maybe I am as crazy as they say if I'm referring to myself in the third person while still staring at one of the hottest guys I've seen in this zip code yet.

"Earth to Mars, earth to Mars."

I whipped my gaze around to the snarky voice behind me, hating the little taunt. It never gets old.

"Yeah?"

"You're Veronica Mars, right?" This must be the missing Wallace. "I have your schedule if you want it."

I snatch the small neatly typed paper from his hand and stare down at it blindly, while trying to ignore the sizzling tension ratcheting my muscles as Chocolate boy stares at my ass. I've not been this fuzzled over a guy since...well...ever.

Naturally this is when Lianne decides to end her conversation and stroll over to me, her hips and breasts barely contained by the soft sweater dress she chose to wear.

"Honey, I'll pick you up after school," she purred into my ear, fully aware of every male eye on her. She leaned down as if to embrace me and I quickly step to the side.

"Yeah whatever."

Lianne frowned at me again, but silently let it pass. "Don't fuck up," she whispered just before sauntering out the door.

"Damn that some fine ass I'd like to hit, if you know what I mean." The tone is pure surfer so I know Vanilla is speaking even without looking. I can say what I want about my mother, but no one else can.

"No, I don't think we know what you mean. Why don't you pantomime it for those who can't read dick."

Obviously I had forgotten to turn on my brain to mouth filter for the day. I mentally slapped my forehead, but otherwise showed no reaction despite the almost comical widening of Wallace's eyes.

"How'd you know my name is Dick?"

"There's a Dick in every school."

Our little tete-tete was interrupted by the clearing of Mr. Moorehead's throat. He looked kind of red in the face, like he was about to burst something. "Ms. Mars I believe you need to get to English. Mr. Casablancas, Mr. Echolls, in my office already? Come in boys and explain how it wasn't your fault this time...again." The two boys quickly stood up and followed him into his office, the snick of the door abnormally loud in the suddenly silent room.

"What?" I snapped at Wallace, annoyed with the awed look in his eyes.

"Do you know who you just insulted?"

"Not really."

"That was Dick Casablancas." I shrugged. "His father is CEO of Casablancas Land Corporation, the biggest real estate company in California."

"So?"

"He's an 09er, and you insulted him in front of his best friend Logan."

"Again, why do I care?"

"Logan is Logan Echolls. His dad is Aaron Echolls, the two time Oscar winning actor and his mom is Lynn Echolls, the actress."

"Ohh." The light bulb blinked on for me as the names finally registered. I vaguely remember picking up a _People_ one time and seeing a story spread done on the Echolls a few years ago. "I didn't realize they lived here."

"Yeah, and you get on their bad side and they'll blackball you to the entire school. You just killed your future here at Neptune High."

Gee, first day and already I made enemies. Score one for Veronica Mars.

"Now, where is Mrs. Lyle's English class?"


	2. When Logan Met Bobcat

**A/N: Wow, thanks to everyone who took the time to read and/or review Chapter 1! It was a nice surprise to get notifications in my e-mail inbox, especially when I wasn't expecting anyone to stumble upon this little mentalgasm of mine. I had intended to just stick with Veronica's p.o.v., but Logan was so insistent for his side to be seen, I didn't have the heart to deny the lovable psychotic jackass. Enjoy!**

First Day of Junior Year and the Last Day of Freedom

If someone were to ever ask Logan to pinpoint the moment when his life deviated from its normal humdrum life of surfing, alcohol, and friends, he knew the exact time down to the minutes and seconds. How could he not? She stood as a blazing sentinel of his darkest memories, her goddamn cat eyes tearing back the layers of skin to the truth he'd always hidden deep inside, away from everyone except her.

The first day of school started as it always did with him and Dick floating on the water in a last farewell to the summer and freedom. Sure they could still surf on the weekends or get up at the ass crack of dawn to come down before school, but it wasn't the same as the lazy hazy days of beach and water, with no expectations or knowledge of time's endless passage.

Most of the teachers at Neptune knew of their first day ritual and never bothered to reprimand them for skipping class (and why would they since their fathers were such large contributors to the school?), but in the months between sophomore and junior year, they'd gotten a new hard-ass Vice Principal who apparently _did_ have some expectations of his students and waited for them in Logan's preferred parking spot, his foot tapping with impatience as he pointedly stared at the watch on his wrist.

"Mr. Echolls. Mr. Casablancas."

"Mr. Clemmons," they both chorused back. "Now that we've all introduced ourselves, Dick and me need to go to class," Logan mocked, sliding out of his yellow X-terra with lithe athleticism, school bag causally slung over one shoulder.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to be late on the first day," Dick snickered, ready as always to back him up. It was one of the reasons Logan kept him around, despite his friend's decided lack of intelligence and common sense.

"That would be commendable, gentlemen, if you were here prior to first bell. Instead, you're barely here in time for your fourth class. I believe Mr. Moorehead would like to see you in his office."

"And I'm just as sure he would prefer we go to class instead and learn like good little boys."

"I really think you should go to the Principal's office." The edge in the Vice Principal's voice gave even Logan pause, the spoiled son unused to authority actually challenging him.

Despite what many might think, it was actually this moment when Logan gave into Mr. Clemmons' demand that his life changed course, but naturally it went unheralded and unnoticed until much, much later.

"Dude, why did you give into him? You know Moorehead can't do shit to us."

"It wasn't worth getting into a full blown fight in the parking lot." Especially since it could possibly lead to a call to the parental units, something Logan tried avoiding with all his might.

"But…" Dick's voice faded into background noise as small short-haired blonde walked out of the Principal's office, the echoing rhythm of her clunky black boots sounding remarkably like the opening strains of Vader's Imperial March.

Meager interest peaked at the appearance of someone new, even if only a freshman judging by her tininess, because nothing ever changed at Neptune High and it would do much to ease the ennui blanketing him at the sameness of his life. Logan could tell her clothing was not fashionably faded, but worn from use, so she definitely wasn't from his zip code; he idly wondered which of the 09ers parents employed hers, but his interest had already started to wane when she turned and looked at him.

She was older than he assumed, perhaps his age or a year younger. The stark angles of her chin and the hollows of her cheeks formed an intriguing assembly of features too fierce to be called pretty, but not symmetrical enough for classic beauty. It was her eyes, however, that caught and held his attention: cold alien intelligence and feral intensity warred deep within the cerulean depths.

It brought a sharp memory of waking up a few months ago on his pool deck after a drunken night of debauchery, almost nose to nose with a young female bobcat that had slipped from the hills for a drink of water. He remained motionless as she debated his worth as prey, sickeningly aware of the small warmth of her body near his, grayish brown fur a knuckle-length from him. Her mouth had opened as she breathed in his scent, the sharp white bones of her teeth taunting him with visions of bloodshed and pain. Agonizing minutes ticked by before she deemed him harmless and dismissed him with the flick of her ear and bobbed tail as she lightly sprang away back to her own environs.

"Earth to Mars, earth to Mars."

This human bobcat broke their staring contest and turned towards the lanky black baller Logan vaguely remembered was named Walsh or Wallace or some shit like that. Giggling a little madly in the privacy of his mind, he checked the girl's ass in case she was hiding a tail, but couldn't see anything beneath the bulkiness of the hideous green army jacket she wore.

"You're Veronica Mars, right? I have your schedule if you want it." 

He knew she could tell he was checking her out because her muscles tightened until her body was so tense, he expected her to whip around and spring for his throat.

_Finally come to kill me after all, Bobcat? _ Logan was peripherally aware of the absurdity of his thoughts, but was too caught up in this strange fascination she exerted over him with the merest of glances, to break himself free.

Fortunately, Dick chose that moment to be, well, a dick, as he hollered at an older woman hooker-hipping her way to the door.

"Damn that some fine ass I'd like to hit, if you know what I mean."

Veronica bared her verbal fangs and ripped into Dick. "No, I don't think we know what you mean. Why don't you pantomime it for those who can't read dick."

"How'd you know my name is Dick?"

"There's a _Dick_ in every school."

Their little verbal slap and tickle was interrupted by the clearing of Mr. Moorehead's throat. He looked kind of red in the face, like he was about to burst something. "Ms. Mars I believe you need to get to English. Mr. Casablancas, Mr. Echolls, in my office already? Come in boys and explain how it wasn't your fault this time...again." 

Logan could feel his mouth hanging open in stunned surprise at her temerity to mock one of the golden heirs, and doing it without once looking in their direction. Dick, on the other hand, was trying to understand the buried insult even as they walked into Moorehead's office.

They sat there for the prerequisite lecture about tardiness, cutting classes, and sly references to how their fathers could smooth over any "issues," with a small monetary donation, then released back into the general population.

"Dude, you were right to do that. We've missed fourth period and now its lunch time!"

Logan let Dick scurry off to the quad where the rest of their group would be hanging out, but he went to the bathroom for a much needed splash of cold water in his face. He didn't understand his visceral reaction to the new girl; he and Lily had just gotten back together again, and normally she sucked up all his attention until no one existed but her. It was startling to be so aware of someone else.

"Don't be a chick, Logan. Just go see your girlfriend and everything will be fine again."

_Yes, everything will be fine._


	3. Pampered Persian

**A/N: I had originally intended to go back to Veronica's p.o.v., but Logan felt I didn't give him enough space and time in the previous chapter to adequately explain his thoughts, so he badgered me until I gave in. Okay, he just flashed that cute smile at me and I caved.**

Mind the Gap

"Where were you, lovah?" Lily's arms looped around Logan's midsection as he walked up to their usual lunch table.

He grinned down at her, slightly love-struck that she had let him back into her life again. Happiness bubbled inside though he wasn't stupid enough to let her know how much it affected him to have her touching him. He couldn't bear to give her that much power over him again; who knew how long their reconciliation would last this time. An hour? A day? Maybe a whole week?

"Had to stop by the girls' locker room to find which chick I'm banging this weekend at Dick's party."

"Hope she doesn't mind being the guest-star."

Logan's eyes nearly crossed at the thought of being in a threesome with wild child Lily. She often spouted outrageous things to him, but he knew she would never go through with it. Nor would he do it truth be told. Why would he want to share the girl he loved with anyone else, even another girl? He never learned to share well.

"Can I watch?" Dick's voice intruded into his rapidly darkening thoughts and he gratefully took the conversational handout.

"You just want to get a peek at my junk," Logan sniggered.

"Dude, that's wrong. Can I pick the other chick? There was this tasty blond in the front office this morning who looked like she knows how to par-tay, if you know what I mean." Dick made the universal male sign of a stacked figure.

Logan let out his breath as he realized his friend wasn't talking about the bobcat. He could only see _Danger Will Robinson_ if the two girls interacted in a meaningful way; Lily was used to being the most feared girl at Neptune, but she was a pampered Persian compared to the new girl. He eyed the bow decorated headband holding back some of her long blond hair from her face and stifled a slightly hysterical chuckle.

"No, if we're bringing another chick into our bed, I want one who's not as pretty as me."

"So everyone else?" Logan made sure to disguise his sappy sentiment behind snark because he didn't couldn't bear for anyone to know that Lily Evangeline Kane was the prettiest girl he ever seen when he was five, and it still held true at seventeen.

"You're so getting a blow job later, you charmer." Lily's infectious laugh, the one missing for months now, filled the air between them and he wished this moment would last forever. Intellectually he knew tomorrow she'd be throwing food in his face and stomping off in a pretend huff so she could run behind the school and hook up with whatever flavor of the hour she picked up, but now, here, his heart could just revel in being the one who made her laugh.

**A/N: Ok, probably one of the shortest pieces I've written in a long time, but Logan's lazy and easily distracted, so it is really surprising? **


	4. Karma's Bitch

Life Sucks Then You Die

Karma's a bitch and I'm punching her in the face the first time I see her. Apparently I did something in a previous life to get so fucked over in this one.

Case in point: "Roooonica! Over here, come sit with me!" Lily's high-pitched squeal easily carried over the heads of the students between us. With those lungs, it's no wonder she's on the Pep Squad.

I gritted my teeth and slowly walked over towards the most popular table in the quad, tray feeling ten times heavier than it should with only Mac & Cheese on it. Those present watched with horrified (09ers) fascination (everyone else).

"Sit here, right next to me." Lily hip-checked Logan (her boyfriend apparently though they were the strangest couple I'd ever seen) and made him scoot over so I could slide in between them. "What is that slop you're carrying? Logan, throw it away. Have some of the pizza Dick got." I clutched the tray to my chest, but was forced to let go of it when masculine fingers gently uncurled mine from the edges. My eyes rose to his and he subtly flinched away, but never stopped trying to pry the tray from me. Finally giving in, if a tad ungracefully, I let go and turned to my tormentor.

Lily Kane, golden girl of Neptune High, daughter to Billionaire computer mogul Jake Kane, and leader of the Pirates Pep Squad, beamed back at me with a sunshine filled smile. I was instantly suspicious and waved away the offer of food just in case it was poisoned. Ever since our first meeting, she's been haunting me in the hallways, in class (I had American History with her and Logan), and stalking me after last bell, trying to get me to hang out with her. It's exhausting avoiding her.

Now a week later I'm sitting next to her at lunch while the rest of Neptune burns as gossip races like wildfire.

"So, Ronica, this is Dick, Madison, Kim, Meg, and my brother Duncan." Lily wrapped one arm around my shoulders. "Everyone, this is Veronica Mars."

"Hey," the 09ers mouthed back dispiritedly.

"So, we're planning on going to Crescent Beach this weekend. You should come!"

My horror was genuine if a bit exaggerated. "I don't do the beach."

"I'm sure you do everything else," Dick mocked under his breath. Madison and Kim giggled, but stopped when Lily flashed angry blue eyes in their direction. "What did you say Dick?"

"Not-th-thing," he stuttered. Helplessly he switched his panicked gaze to his best friend in an appeal for help; Logan shrugged at his friend from his standing position across from me. I guess Mr. Echolls doesn't want to contaminate himself by sitting next to me.

Lily smiled brightly again as she turned back to me. "I think you should come on Saturday, Veronica. How can you live in Cali and hate the beach? The girls are gonna lay out while the boys pretend to surf." She waved away Logan's indignant "hey!" with a well-manicured hand. "If you don't have a bathing suit, you could borrow one of mine."

I stare at her chest and pointedly look down at my decidedly less endowed figure. "Uh, I don't think it would fit."

Thankfully my phone rings and cuts off any retort she had. Caller ID reads: _Mel Gibson_

"Mad Max, how's Thunder Dome?"

_How'd the 'scripts work out?_

"Usual good work. You want to meet up for your payment?" I made sure to laden my words with innuendo.

_You're not alone are you?_

"Of course, baby. Saturday will be fine."

_Thank God I'm recording this call. Can't wait to share it with Weevil. You want us to roll up this weekend?_

"Whatever you plan will be fine. You know where I am, lovah."

I snapped the cell closed on his laughter with a deep sigh and a faraway glance.

"Boyfriend?"

I winked at Lily. "Who needs those when the world's my oyster? Unfortunately I can't come with you this weekend, but thanks for the offer." I spotted Wallace making his way across the quad. "Oh look, there's my Chem partner, better catch up with him before class to make sure he did our homework. Ta!"

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

"Lily, what the hell was that?"

"I can't make new friends?"

"Not with trailer trash."

"Shut it, Dick." At least in this she and Logan were agreed.

"Dude, dudette, you can tell by her clothes she's not one of us. Since when do we mingle with the have-nots?"

"It's not like I invited all the 02ers to sit with us."

"You might as well have. Kate Fredricks told me she heard from Harrison Thomas that he saw her taking the bus to school. _The bus!_ Why would you want to even breathe the same air? You might catch something."

"You're such a bitch, Maddy. Shut the fuck up or I will tell your parents you actually didn't spend last Friday night with me."

"Babe, you weren't with Lily?"

"Oh, Dickie, I was in L.A. for a store opening with Kim. Right, Kim?"

"Uh, yah. She was with me."

"Girls, settle down. Lily, why _did_ you ask her to sit with us? And go to the beach?"

"You're all such fucking snobs! Well, except for maybe you Meg. I can't believe you said that Duncan. Why not? What's wrong with me wanting to find someone I haven't known since kindergarten? She's pretty cool, right Logan?"

"Lils, what's going on with you? You've been acting strangely lately, even for you."

"Gawddddd. I'm leaving. And Logan, forget about coming over tonight. If you don't know you're supposed to back your girlfriend then obviously we don't need to be together."

"Excuse me for showing some concern when my girlfriend starts slumming it, or have you finally came up with another bogus reason to break up with me? Have a new guy to fuck?"

"If I did, he'd be better than you."

"He likes fucking a cunt looser than Dick's step-mom?"

"Dude!"

"Asshole."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

"What the hell did you do at lunch?"

I shoved the rest of my books into my locker and slammed the door shut. "Hmn, let me think. I saved a baby from a burning building and was awarded a medal of honor by the Mayor." I dropped the act. "You know what I did, Fennel. You saw me leave the 09er table."

Wallace grimaced, a small frown veeing his brows. "Well, Mars, I hate to tell you this but it's all over school you broke Lily and Logan up."

"What? How? I sat there for maybe ten minutes and two minutes of it was spent on the phone."

"After you left, they got into a huge screaming match and she stormed away."

"From what I hear they break up all the time. So, how the fuck am I the cause?"

"Hey, I'm just telling you what I heard." He raised his hands in self-defense against my tone. "I know your next class is with them and I didn't want you to walk in there without knowing."

In the two weeks I've been here, Wallace's been the only person who's actually talked to me. Most others either ignore me or whisper behind their hands, though I have no idea how I became the talk of Neptune High.

Hell, at least at my last school I was gossiped about because I threatened to set the gym on fire with a quarter of the defensive line inside and was eventually dragged off premises by the cops. The only thing I've done here is point out to some 09er what an idiot he was and get stalked by the most popular girl here. Geesh rich people are strange.

"Uh, thanks Fennel."

I can feel the eyes on me and hear the low buzz in my wake until I feel like a tsunami is at my back threatening to overwhelm me. I've never run from a situation (_except for the one time at the store with a tube of Kitten Red lipstick in my pocket, but that doesn't count since I was technically shoplifting at the time)_ so I pulled up my big girl panties before I entered Mrs. Wheldon's room.

Three-quarters of the class was already seated and already fully informed of my supposed interference with Neptune's It couple. Some of the girls looked gleeful (_bitches probably thought they'd get on the Echolls ride_) while the few other 09ers glared at me. Neither Logan nor Lily was there so I seated myself in the back.

By the time Mrs. Weldon walked in, the class was full, though the seats around me were conspicuously empty. I was officially a pariah.

Yeah, that bitch Karma is so getting a knuckle sandwich.

**A/N: I'm having a little fun with this new VM, though I definitely don't have the snark channeling abilities of Rob Thomas. **


	5. In Vino Veritas

**A/N: Logan demanded one last conversation with Lily about their breakup. I couldn't resist those puppy brown eyes. It's short again, but I think he wanted to keep his humiliation to a minimum. In case you're wondering when this is happening, it is later that same day they had their fight at school.**

Bottle's Up

The bottle's rim clicked against his teeth, but it didn't matter. He knew the sting of salvation lay at the bottom anyway, so if he broke it open, he could get to it faster. The liquid burned as it poured over his fingers, crimson tinted amber that seared his tongue with its metallic wood taste when he licked at it. _Just like a fucking dog_, he thought disgustedly.

"Logan?"

"Where?" He made a show of looking around. "I heard he's the son of a famous movie star."

"What are you doing out here on my pool deck?"

"Tryin' to forget you." _No, wait, that's wrong._ "Came over to give you a drink." He held up the ruins of the bottle. "Guess I started without you."

"Christ, Logan, you've sliced your fingers."

He stared at his hands and suddenly realized it wasn't whiskey, but blood wetting his skin. "Loookey at that."

"You're a pathetic drunk, you know."

"I'm pathetic without you." _In vino veritas_

"We just don't work."

"Why? Why do you keep throwing me away? I'll learn how to please you; I'll do those kinky things you keep mentioning."

She sighed. He knew every sigh she had, and knew this one meant "_gawd what a loser you are."_

"It's not you…"

"I fucking swear if you say "it's not you, it's me" I will puke all over your shoes."

"You probably will anyway."

He chuckled because he knew she was right. He was a horrible drunk and even worse at holding his liquor, but Logan Echolls hated to fail at anything, so he kept on drinking to perfect his abilities.

"Why do you always do this, Logan? I mean, c'mon, we fight all the time, we're not really happy even when we're happy. Why do you hold onto me so hard?"

"I'm afraid, Lils. Who am I without Logan and Lily? I've loved you since I was five."

She gently stroked a few strands of his hair away from his sweaty brow. He looked so lost and broken sitting on the lounge chair with blood dripping from his hands and shards of glass surrounding him. He was her best friend and her worst enemy, the love of her life as well as its bane. They meant so much to each other over the years, but she just couldn't stand to live the lie any longer.

"You'll find someone new, someone who will fit you."

"But only you know me, before…" his voice trailed off as she shifted away from him, uncomfortable with the turn of their conversation. She knew what he meant, the hollow core of the perfect family, yet those things just didn't happen to _their_ kind of people; they were of the cheating spouses, tax evasion, and real estate fraud class, not the _other._ It was so 02 of him.

"Just stop Logan. Stop calling, texting, emailing, and following me around like a fucking dog. You're not what I want or need, so just leave. Do I need to fuck someone in the quad to get it through to you?"

Lily watched as a blank mask dropped down, the yearning switched off until his usually expressive face was as immobile as a statue's. "No, you've made it perfectly clear." He grinned, though it was more a matter of baring his teeth than smiling. "I'll even write this moment down so I won't forget it in the morning."

"Goodbye Logan."

"Goodbye Lily."


	6. Sun, Sand, and Suds

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to one some of my favorite movies and tv shows (aside from **_**Veronica Mars**_**, natch).**

Beach Blanket Bingo

"Do we have to go to the beach?" I winced at the whine in my throat, but didn't back down. "It'll ruin the Pursuit Special."

"Sure, way to throw me under the bus, Ronnie."

"Hey, Max, not my fault you're a gimp and need the wheels."

"Harsh, Ronnie, harsh." Unfortunately true, however, since Max was born with severe cerebral palsy that affected both sides of his body so he was forced to use hand crutches just to walk, though recently he'd upgraded to a sweet motorized scooter (the aforementioned Pursuit). It's a wonder he's the intelligent smack-talking wiseass I know and love given the chances the doctors gave him initially; his mama never gave up.

Good for me too since he's saved my ass on more than one occasion due to his mad keyboarding skills.

"Nah, we'll stay on the boardwalk, don't need to sand up the bitch's wheels."

I stared first at Weevil, then over at Max, and threw my hands up in the air. "Seriously, what's with everyone's obsession with the fucking beach?"

"Everyone?" they chorused together in annoying sing-song voices.

"Uh...well…"

"Did our little delinquent make nicey-nice with the locals, even dare I say it, make a friend?"

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands, leaning against the couch. "Not necessarily on purpose. It was more out of self-defense; this chick won't leave me alone!"

The day after the "home-wrecking incident" as it became known, Logan was still MIA at school, but Lily wasn't. Damn girl came up to me after second period and insisted on walking with me to my locker, so by tardy bell everyone in the damn school knew I was Lily Kane's new bestest friend and forgiven for my part in the It couple's breakup. Apparently she did this every year, befriending someone new, than dropping them once she was distracted by something shiny.

Bets on my chances for lasting until Homecoming were dismal. I was tempted to put my own marker down just for the cash I could win, but somehow I doubted the bookies would let me in on the action.

Weevil and Max didn't share my pain and laughed their damn fool heads off while I fumed ineffectually. I can remember the days when people feared my gaze, but these two jackals knew me too well to be scared of me; at least most of the time.

"Fine, you won't stop laughing so you don't deserve my cookies!" I jumped off the couch and headed across the room to the small kitchenette to grab the plate. My threat sobered them right away, especially when I held the cookies over the trash.

"No wait! We were laughing _with_ you, V."

"I wasn't laughing."

"'Cause you have no sense of humor."

"This plate is really heavy…I feel it slipping."

"The only reason we wanna go to the beach is I hear the ones in Neptune are the best."

"No, Weevil, it's more like you _wanna _scope out the chicks."

"Who me? You know I love my Maria. She does it for me."

"Like an STD," I muttered under my breath. The chick was toxic.

He cupped a hand over his ear. "What? I surely didn't hear you mocking my girl. You know how I get when people mock my girl." The menacing frown pulling at the distinctive web tattoo at the corner of his temple might've been more convincing if I didn't spot the laughter in his brown eyes.

When others look at Weevil, they see a stout tattooed former Mexican gangbanger; when I look at him, I see my friend with more heart and integrity in one finger than most anyone I've ever met. Of course, he is pretty hot with his mocha brown skin, bald head, and lashes I'd kill to have, but we'd already decided there was nothing between us but friendship.

Of course the four year age difference and possible jail sentence for statutory rape also helped decide us.

"Fine, I'll go to the fucking beach, but I refuse to get into a bikini."

Max grinned at my capitulation, but Weevil didn't. "You can hardly see the scars anymore, V. No one would notice the difference."

I growled low in my throat, an almost animalistic sound, and he put his hands up to show he was backing off. No one, not even my two closest friends, ever got to talk to me about the scars.

Mercifully he changed the subject. "How's the tat? Were you able to keep it from itching?"

I twisted and raised my shirt a bit so he could check out the newly added touches to his masterpiece etched into the skin canvas of my back. Max whistled when he saw the new addition.

"Damn man, I think she's the best you've ever done."

I grinned when he cringed as he played back his own words. "I…uh…mean…"

We both laughed at him and the tension was completely broken.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Dog Beach was crowded with sun-worshippers and surfers, a normal Saturday morning, but fortunately we weren't down on the sand, but safely tucked away at Java Hut on the boardwalk. The veranda faced the water, so we had the view and caffeine, which made it the perfect spot in my book.

"Nope, there's no way you're saying _Stargate: SG-1 _was better than _Battlestar Galatica_!" Max's scandalized expression made me sputter with laughter.

"Of course it was! Ben Browder was so much hotter than either Jamie Bamber or Tahmoh Penikett."

"Woman, you need a lesson in proper sci-fi. You watch it for the storyline, not the hottest jet jockey!"

"Manito, you know this is a losing battle, right? She's a chick, so she can't follow the complexities of the story, so she's gotta get her some eye-candy."

"Well, that and I think _Farscape_ was superior by far. Didn't go into all that god crap like _Galactica_ and wasn't as cheesy as _Atlantis._" I threw my hands up over my head like a boxing champ when Weevil merely snorted and Max was too flabbergasted to respond.

"Yah, that's right, I said it!" I bounced out of my chair and did the booty shake while hopping up and down like a fool, but if a girl can't be foolish with her friends, then when?

"Veronica?"

I straightened with a swift mental groan and cursed my luck. With Weevil and Max watching me in stuptified silence, I plastered a fake wide smile on my face before turning and facing the last person in the world I wanted to see.


	7. Frenemies

Busted in a _COPS_ Kind of Way

"Lily! What-what-what're you doing here?" _Especially since you told me you were going to Crescent Beach, which is why I came here. _

She shrugged. "Logan was there and I really didn't want to deal with his emo-bullshit and lovesick eyes."

Logan is kind of a psychotic jackass – I heard about the time he taped a naked Wallace to the flag pole on Wallace's first day ever at Neptune Sophomore year for unknowingly parking in Logan's spot – but surely even he doesn't deserve the level of bitchiness Lily is capable of.

I get to have front row seats to his excoriation because I'm Lily's best friend, yo, and apparently also her sounding board as to all the reasons why a relationship with Logan isn't possible. It's obvious she's just as obsessed with him as he seems to be with her, so why the fuck am I in the middle?

"But who cares about that asshole?" _Besides you? _Her eyes tracked movement over my shoulder and I could see my companions had drawn her attention. "Who are these fine, _fine_ young lads you're spending time with?"

Gritting my teeth against a wave of territorial possessiveness, I grudgingly made the introductions. "Lily, this is Max and Eli. Guys, this is Lily."

She sauntered closer, the white wrap around her hips swaying gently. I saw Weevil's eyes automatically scan her luscious figure, highlighted by the tight and extremely tiny pink bikini she wore. _A girl with such huge tits should really have more support_. _Like a burlap sack maybe?_

I bit back the urge to repeat my thoughts aloud, however, and pointed out the seat next to mine. "Wanna join us?" Don't ever let it be said I don't have manners; you can call me bitchy, insane, or a shit-starter, but never ill-mannered.

"Well, the girls are waiting on me…"_Oh thank God. _"You should come join us." _Fuck that._

"Unfortunately we can't, Lily, but thanks." "Sure," both boys chorused at the same time.

We got into a three-way glaring contest broken only by Lily's shifting. Heck, even I had to admire the boob wobble going on; it was _that _impressive. How the hell did she keep them packed down without spilling out or at the very least a nipple peek? It was like admiring German engineering at its finest, though clothes instead of cars.

She ignored our behavior as if it wasn't abnormal (_though given who she hangs out with, it probably wasn't)_, "Fabulous! Ooh, can you watch my stuff while I run to the ladies room? Thanks!"

"Way to throw me under the bus guys!" I scolded once Lily was out of earshot.

"She's nice," both sighed in mutual lust.

"Yeah, 'cause it was her _personality_ that caught your attention."

"I saw you checking her out too, V. Are you Catholic schoolgirl kind of friends?" Weevil's eyebrows waggled playfully, making me laugh even as I slapped his arm for reminding me of the god awful soft core porn I once flipped to on TV mistakenly thinking it was something else. They really should make it against the law to allow porn titles to be similar to regular movies.

"Get your mind outta the gutter." Then because I couldn't help it, "'Sides, I'd be smothered beneath all that loveliness."

Max nearly fell out of his chair laughing while Weevil tried to look shocked at my slightly risqué comment, but couldn't prevent the delighted grin from forming.

"But why do you guys want to hang out with a bunch of spoiled rich kids? And why make me?"

"V, you say this chica got your back at school against everyone and she didn't have to. Why wouldn't I wanna talk to her?"

A warm fuzzy feeling bubbled near my heart because I knew this was Weevil's way of saying he wanted to make sure Lily was on the up and up. "Ahh, you're just made of out of Peeps, ain't cha big guy?"

"Don't be spreadin' that rumor, V. A man's got an image to uphold."

I rolled my eyes at him, but put my game face on when Lily came back to the table.


	8. King Kong Ain't Got Nothing On Me

They Write Songs About This?

"Dude, there's a promptu beach party goin down at Dog's if you wanna go."

"That's impromptu."

"Huh?"

"Dick, the word is _impromptu_, not promptu."

"Yah, whatever, Beav. So you down, Logan?"

Logan looked up at his blond friend and his side-kick with disinterest. "What's wrong with just drinking here?" He threw a hand to indicate the pool house they were currently lounging in; they'd retreated back to his place after a full day of surfing.

"Maddy's over there and I'm pretty sure she's macking on someone else behind my back." At his side, Beaver rolled his eyes in classic "Duh!" motion. Everyone but Dick knew Madison was fucking around behind his back.

Dick, seeing his argument wasn't working, threw out one last tasty tidbit: "Heard that Mars chick is over there. And you know where Mars is lately, Lily isn't far behind."

It was perplexing to the clique how quickly Lily attached herself to the 02er, especially when the chick really didn't seem to care what anyone thought of her. _Otherwise why would she wear such hideous Goodwill rejects?_

Logan pretended to ignore Dick yet his heart thumped crazily at the thought of seeing Lily in a more intimate setting than school. It'd been less than a week since he made the mistake of going to her house on the day of their breakup; she was always the most vicious after one of their fights. He should've known better than to try to woo her back then. Now, however…

"Fine, if it'll stop you begging. I'm driving though."

He reached over to grab his keys, completely missing the gleeful look passing between the brothers behind his back.

Logan knew he was an idiot the minute they strolled up to the bonfire and Lily was in full flirtation mode with an unknown Latino guy. She was using her patented hand-slap-breast-snuggle-while laughing move, one he'd seen a hundred times when they were dating, and again when they were broken up. It meant he was stupid to think she wanted him back or was even thinking about him.

"I need a beer," he growled to Dick and Beaver, cutting through most of the crowd to the keg off in the shadows. So intent on the barrel, he didn't notice the girl standing in his path until he collided with her smaller form and tangled legs with her, landing on top of her.

"Motherf—"

"Cheese and Rice."

_Cheese and rice?_ Logan stared at the girl beneath him, unconsciously making himself comfortable between her splayed thighs. The light wasn't very good so he couldn't tell who she was, but damn she felt good wrapped around him.

"Hi, I'm Logan, and you are…?"

"…about to make you eunuch if you don't get the fuck off me."

Her hand wiggled between them and took a very firm grip on him; of course being snuggled up against a very luscious form had given her a lot more to grab.

"If you put your hand _under _my shorts you'll get more out it. Just squeeze a little harder while you pull jack up," he quipped throatily into her ear. "Oh, yeah just like…_that_," Logan's voice ended up on a high note when her hand cork-screwed in a very painful way.

He rolled off the girl holding his junk in agony and curling into a defensive fetal position as waves of nausea overwhelmed him. There was no cure for this type of pain so he rode it like he would a bad wipe, regulating his breathing to match the thumping of his heart until everything faded and slowly he was able to regain control of his body again.

"Fuuuuuuck that hurt!"

"It was supposed to, asswipe."

Logan opened pain-stricken eyes and looked at the perpetrator of his current misery. Veronica Mars. _Of course_. "You coulda just asked me to get off you."

"Why, when this was more fun?"

"Bitch."

"Dick."

"Yeah? Holy shit, Mars what the fuck did you do to Logan?"

"Moi? Why do you automatically assume I did something?"

"Umm, probably 'cause you're smirking and he's lying at your feet in pain. Something tells me you're the type to walk all over men."

Dick reached out a hand, but Logan waved him off. "Nah, dude, I think I'm going to just hang out down here for a minute longer."

"Want me to pimp-slap her?"

"You realize I'm still standing here and can hear you, right Dick?"

"Good, then I don't have to go far – " a smack reverberates in the small distance between Dick and Veronica's bodies. "What the hell was that for?"

"I was just pre-empting your slap. Didn't your mom ever teach you it's not nice to hit girls?"

"No, the best thing she ever taught me was how much to tip hookers."

"Hopefully she also taught you to wrap up so you didn't get any little visitors of the crawling variety."

"Nah, the Dickster don't have no babies."

"Or a firm grasp of the English language it seems."

"Dick, shut up."

"Why are you taking her side, Logan? The bitch quarked you one good."

"Do I even want to know what you think a "quark" is?"

"Don't you have other men to assault?"

"Next time don't grope me or get a hard on when pressed against me."

"Trust me if I'd known it was you, my dick woulda turtled so fast you'd think I was a chick."

"Sorry, Echolls, but that ship has passed. I already think you're a girl."

"Sure about that? Your hands lingered down there for a bit before you cranked me."

"Yeah, was having a _hard_ time finding anything of worth to twist."

Logan's head spun, though this time in amazement rather than pain. He'd never met someone who could keep up with him in the smart-ass remarks department.

"Well, you 're a – "

"Dude, she already walked away. You ready to get up now?"

Logan shrugged off Dick and Beaver as he skirted the bonfire and looked at the small groups of laughing, screaming, drinking people but didn't see a tiny annoying blond among any of them, though he could see Lily had progressed from flirting to making out with the stranger. He growled a little in his throat, but knew there was nothing he could do about it…until he noticed his prey standing near the couple with a very dark frown on her face.

Deciding to come up on her unawares, he threaded his way through the small crowd and came up behind her.

"Touch me again Echolls and I'll make what happened before seem like foreplay."

_What the fuck? How'd she know I was there?_

"Wasn't it? Where I come from, when a woman touches a man's penis that means he sacrifices a goat to her village so they can fuck."

"The goat or the girl?"

"Goat …" Logan scratched his head for a moment, and then mentally smacked himself.

"Oh, you're a goat fucker, which explains so much about you."

Change of subjects, stat. "I can't tell if you're watching Lily or her friend." He closed in until his mouth was near her ear and whispered, "You get off on watching?" _God she smells good._

"Wooo baby, gets me hot watching your ex-girlfriend sucking face. Does it get _you _hot?" Veronica turned her head unexpectedly and his lips grazed her cheek. She took a quick step to the side and stared up at him. "Seriously, what's up with your proximity? You can't stand to be near me at school or even talk to me, but here you're all over me. Trying to make Lily jealous? 'Cause if so, it's failing miserably." She pointed to the fact Lily was oblivious of them, and pretty much everyone else.

"What do you mean?"

"Do I need to use smaller words and speak slowly like you were Dick? You. Don't. Talk. To. Me. So. Why. Are. You. Doing. It. Now?"

"I talk…to you…" Logan wracked his memories as he tried to come up with an instance in the last few days when he said _something_ to her. "I said bless you when you sneezed at lunch on Thursday."

"That was Meg."

"What do you care if I talk to you?" There, put _her_ on the defensive.

"I don't. "

"Sure sounds like you do. You've been missing a little Logan time, eh?"

"Oh please, as if I haven't gone the last four days without hearing Logan this and Logan that."

"I can't help if I have a fan club wherever I go."

Veronica snickered and shook her head, muttering something about egos beneath her breath. "I really don't get you two. You guys are always in between some phase with each other; doesn't it get exhausting?"

He stared down at her for a moment, noticing for the first time she wasn't wearing a bathing suit like all the other girls there, but some band tee, a jean skirt, and flip-flops. "They don't write songs about the easy ones."

"Sure they do, they're called "break up songs.""

"Hey, breaking up is hard to do."

"You should know," she quipped.

"Your sympathy over my latest breakup is duly noted."

"Hey, it's not like you won't be back together with Lily for a minute next week."

"She say something to you about wanting me back?" Logan tried not to look too eager, or even look in Lily's direction. He could forgive her making out with someone else because they were technically broken up right now.

"Uh yah, the lady doth protest too much."

"Shakespeare, really?"

"Even us lowly peasants read occasionally too."

"I would think you'd be too busy being poor to have time to read."

"Well, I need something to read before I wipe my ass with it."

"Curiously I have no response to that."

He laughed at her sly smile and flirty look beneath her eyelashes.

"Seriously though, Echolls. Why the hell do you put yourself through the ringer with her over and over again?" She motioned to the couple over her shoulder. "It can't be easy watching her flit from guy to guy like some demented bee."

"Judge much? You've known her a week."

She snorted. "I know the type. She's gorgeous and sexy and life is for hers for the taking, and take she does. You're the Bichon Frise who follows at her heels, snapping any stray bits of affection she throws your way."

Affronted, he raised a hand to his carefully maintained brunette locks. "I don't have curly hair. Sides, I'm more pit bull." Logan preened, wishing he was bare-chested so she could see his lean surfer muscles.

Veronica studied him keenly with her piercing gaze and he felt stripped, weighed, and judged by the female calculation turning in the depths of her eyes. He was curiously out of breath and desperately hoping she didn't notice his suddenly interested cock.

"Nah, pit bull is too butch for you. You're more a Doberman."

Logan thought about her response for a moment. "What do you mean _too butch_?"

"I think we already discussed this. You're kind of a girl."

"Do I need to drop trou to show you I'm all man, baby?" His hands dropped to the waist band of his board shorts, even as his cock lengthened even more at the thought of her seeing what she grabbed earlier. _Fuck, down boy, down! What the hell are you thinking?_

"You can have boy parts and still be a girl, you know."

"I'm not gay or a tranny!"

"Never said you were."

Logan shook his head and decided he wasn't drunk enough to continue this conversation. "So, she talked about me, huh?"

"See. _Girl._" Veronica's low laughter slid across his skin like a physical caress and he almost shivered in reaction. "She told me you've been friends since you were five and that you started dating at thirteen."

"Yeah, the Kanes used to live next to us back when Jake Kane was merely a lowly millionaire instead of a billionaire." He quieted as images flipped through his mind like photographs as he thought of their years as friends, than later as lovers. "We were each other's first kiss and lover. Why would she want to give that up?"

"Do I look like I understand Lily Kane? I'm just the chick she decided to carry around like her personal Velveteen Rabbit. I predict when all my fur falls off I'll be left in the nursery with the rest of her forgotten toys."

"Probably." He contemplated the tiny blond for a moment. "Why are you letting her _carry you around_ as you so succinctly put it?"

"Seems easier to give in than fight it, but I'm sure you're used to Lily's brand of persuasion."

A devilish grin flirted with his lips. "Yeah, she can be _persuasive_ when she wants."

"And on that note, I'm leaving."

"What? Don't want to hear about the exploits of yours truly?"

"Not when I know sixty percent is bullshit, ten percent truth, and the rest wishful thinking."

"Ouch girl! Calling my manhood into question?"

"Echolls, from the minute I stepped onto the school campus, I've heard nothing but stories about your prowess. I mean, damn, you're a male version of Miss Hot Lips over there."

"I've never cheated," he protested darkly, fragments of painful memories slipping through his humor.

"But you definitely didn't waste time pining."

"Why should I? She doesn't."

"So are you here to win back the girl? Or is hooking up on the agenda for the night?"

"That an invitation?"

Veronica rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I'd think me twisting your dick would clue you in that I ain't interested hoss."

"Your lips say no…"

"And my body says back the fuck off. You trying to slum it tonight too, match her guttersnipe for guttersnipe?"

Logan cocked his head in silent contemplation. "_Guttersnipe_? Who even talks like that?"

"Someone with an IQ higher than Mano Blahniks."

"Dude! There you are. I can't find Maddy anywhere."

"Did you try Whore Lane?" Veronica inquired sweetly.

"Where the fuck is that?"

"Dick, she's kidding."

"Oh, well whatever. You're the whore."

"That certainly put me in _my_ place."

"No, _your_ place is on –"

"Echolls, finish that sentence and I swear I'll castrate you for real."

"Touchy?"

"Not as much as you are."

"Guys, can you stop flirting for a second. What if Maddy drank too much and stumbled into the ocean?"

"Please tell me he's really not that dumb." She sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose before staring up at the shaggy-haired blond. "Let me speak your language for a moment: Dude, like, oh my god, she totally macked out on this other dude, and they went to the parking lot for a little bit of "don't come a knockin' if the car is rockin'" action."

"That fucking slut! Who?"

"I don't know, some tall dude with killer abs."

"She's fucking _Conner Larkin?_" Dick stomped away in the direction of the parking lot, Beaver emerging from the shadows to trail after his brother.

"Should I be worried he knew who was I was talking about when I mentioned his abs?"

"Everyone knows they're painted on."

"Hmm, I wouldn't mind finding out for myself. Rawr."

"Did you just growl at the thought of fucking _Conner Larkin_?" Logan couldn't believe her gall. She was standing with him and thinking about someone else!

Veronica threw her hands up in exasperation. "Seriously who the fuck is this _Conner Larkin_?"

"Do you not read the trades?"

"Sorry, I don't subscribe to _Streetwalker Quarterly_."

"Trade mags, not…grrr. He's a two-bit actor who works with my father from time to time."

"Oooooooh, Soldier Boy #1 in your dad's last flick."

Logan steeled himself to hear her gush all about his dad and how fucking great he was.

"Sorry Echolls but your dad blows and not in the fun way. I mean, seriously? His sad and concerned face looks like he's constipated."

"Wha-?"

"Everyone rags on Keanu, but at least his "whoa" is packed with surprise, excitement, and wonder."

The sound of high-pitched screams and the tinkling of glass filled the air.

"Uh you might want to go see what your boy is up to."

Groaning at the damage an enraged Dick could do (_ha, ha)_, Logan nodded in agreement though strangely loathe to leave Veronica's side.

"Yah, um…see you Monday?"

A chorus seemed to spring up suddenly, the school yard chant of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" winging through the evening air.

"Oh shit, the last time Dick got into a fight, he ended up with two black eyes and a broken arm."

She shooed him gently. "Better go rescue him then."

_Fucking asshole_, Logan cursed as he made his way to the parking lot. Who he meant – Dick or Connor – even he couldn't say. He just knew they'd interrupted _something_.

* * *

**A/N: I know there were a few of you out there who were (im)patiently waiting for more meaningful interaction between Veronica and Logan. Hopefully it was worth the wait!**


	9. A Dream and a Fear

**A/N: FYI this chapter has some mature imagery and language so be warned to press the back button if you can't handle it ;) I'm pacing the LoVe, but couldn't resist throwing in a little more Logan.

* * *

**

Think Twice

Logan woke up the same way he had yesterday: hard, aching, and needing to come. Normally this wouldn't panic him, because he _was_ a teenage boy with the usual vim and vigor, but what did bother him was the _why_. His dreams were of a certain small blonde and her mouth, except she wasn't pretending his dick was her lollipop, instead, they were just _talking_ and he was harder and more desperate than simple conversation should warrant.

"Goddamnit!"

Closing his eyes, he slid one callused hand beneath the light sheet covering his nude body and gripped himself in a tight unyielding clasp, intent on erasing the disturbing dream in a wash of hot lust for another girl. He mentally flipped through his usual images of naughty schoolgirls, real and imagined, until he finally remembered a really hot fantasy about sex behind the bleachers during a football game with a cute blonde sophomore named Hannah, probably the only other virgin beside Meg Manning left at Neptune High.

"_But someone could see us." Her small face was embarrassed, eyes fawn brown and innocent._

"_That's part of the fun."_

"_Ohhh…" her protests faded into his mouth as he hugged her closer to him, their lips locked in a searing kiss. The roar of the crowd just added to the excitement of the illicit encounter for him, ratcheting up his arousal until he knew just one thrust into her tight wet cunt would make him come._

_He thanked the gods of sex she was wearing a skirt and a thong because of the easy access. It was probably not the best place for a girl to lose her virginity, standing upright against bleachers, but she knew what she signed on for when she approached him with a sly offer._

_He hitched her legs around his waist, relishing the feel of her combat boots crowded up against his back as his fingers slipped into liquid soft heaven. Her rolling hips, light breathy moans, pushed him further and faster than he could ever remember going, and he fought with his pants until he was able to press in deep._

"_You okay?"_

"_More, more…" her low begging was such a fucking turn on, he couldn't resist biting her neck and licking her pulse as he thrust in harder and deeper, each swivel of her tiny hips aiding him until he was seated balls deep inside. _

"_What do you want, baby?"_

"_For you to move your fucking ass and make me come," a completely different voice responded and Logan's eyes snapped to the blonde's face in his arms, except she wasn't the uncertain Hannah, but Veronica Mars as she'd been dressed at the bonfire party._

"_Cat got your tongue?" she purred, "Or is it just me?" Her hands reached for his face and she dragged his mouth down to hers for a fierce kiss filled with teeth and tongue. Logan couldn't resist the lure of her body and continued driving into her, loving the wet hot heat gripping him so intimately. _

"_I'm gonna come," he warned, his control nearly gone._

"_Come in me."_

With a curse, Logan came all over his hand and stomach in savage pleasure that emptied him so completely he wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. Unfortunately, it was Monday morning and he had school…_where he could see Veronica Mars and make her pay for causing him to dream about her._

Logan's smirk grew as he envisioned the barbs he would toss her way.

* * *

Logan's frown was dark as he walked into his fifth period. Veronica Mars hadn't been seen all day by anyone, and she hadn't shown up at lunch or, as he scoped out the class, American History.

Lily was seated in her usual chair, a faintly bored expression on her face. He debated about taking the seat next to her, but curiosity about Veronica's whereabouts plagued him still and he threw caution to the wind.

"Lily."

"Dick."

"Uh, no my darling, I'm Logan, but I can see how you'd be mistaken since you can't possibly keep all the men in your life straight."

He chuckled at the obscene gesture she threw his way. "Sorry, Lil, been there, done that, and have the STD to prove it."

The shock on his ex's face was worth all the aggravation of not finding Veronica Mars at school today.

"Is there a reason why you're bothering me, asshat?"

"Woo, pulling out a new insult, are we? Hmn, I don't think you could've come up with that one, so I suspect it's the guttersnipes you've been hanging with lately."

Lily eyed him with a wicked glint. "Guttersnipes? Doesn't sound like a word Mr. I-Flunked-Freshman-English-Twice would know."

Logan cursed silently because it _wasn't_ his word, but _hers_. "I believe if you look it up in the dictionary your friend Paco's picture would be right beside it."

"Jealousy isn't a good look on you, Logan."

"You think I'm jealous of _that?_ Please! I'm ten times the man he is."

"Worth, yes. Cajones, not even close."

Gritting his teeth at her less than subtle jab at his manhood, Logan kept his fraying temper in check. If he wanted to know where her new best friend was, he couldn't antagonize her too much more or she'd go nuclear and then he'd _never_ know.

"I see your new hanger-on isn't around. Did you finally get wise and take the trash to the curb?"

Lily snorted and rolled her eyes. "Geesh Logan, I honestly didn't realize what a snobbish prick you were."

"Oh please, you're only friends with her because you know Celeste would absolutely hate her."

A considering expression crossed Lily's face, one he didn't recognize. In the years they'd been friends, lovers, and adversaries, he thought he'd come to know her inside and out, but there was a light in her eyes he'd never seen before.

The moment passed and she sat back into her chair with a shrug. "You wouldn't understand, Logan, and don't try straining your pea-sized brain too much. Veronica is my friend so you might as well get used to it. Besides, she doesn't scare easily so stop trying to run her off."

He took an exaggerated look around the classroom, ignoring the admonishing finger raised by the teacher at the front. "Sure 'bout that? We exchanged words on Saturday and I don't see her here today. "

"She had some business to take care, douchewad, not that it's any of your business."

"Oh, did she need to stock up on kneepads for her afterschool job?"

"She was so right about you."

Logan could barely contain his glee. It was comforting to know she couldn't stop thinking about him any more than he could about her. "How utterly charming and handsome I am?"

"Veronica called you a psychotic jackass."

"That's rich coming from her since she's a fucking ball-busting bitch."

"Mr. Echolls!"

Logan's head snapped up and he glared at Mrs. Wheldon. "Yeah?"

"If you are unable to keep quiet or a civil tongue, I will have to ask you to leave my classroom."

"Whatever, I'm out."

Logan grabbed his bag and stormed out, ignoring the teacher's sputtering about reporting to the Principal's. Once in the hall, he took out his cell and quickly tapped in a quick message.

**To Dick: wanna go to K-9?**

**To Logan: always dude.**

**To Dick: now? this class blows.**

**To Logan: C U at yer parking spot.**

**To Dick: b there in 10**

**To Logan: K**


	10. Gin Joint

Fraying

I traced the life line on my hand and wondered if I should worry it splintered and frayed the closer it got to my wrist. Did this mean my life would end abruptly and violently? Or would I would have a long-lived life and die in my bed of old age? Maybe I should find a palmist and ask her to explain my life. Maybe she would be able to make sense of it, because I sure as fuck can't.

My eyes closed involuntarily as I tried not to wallow in self-pity because, really, what's more pathetic than throwing a party for yourself? There's a reason why the elusive _they_ say misery loves company; who wants to be the only one wearing a funny cone-shaped hat?

Saturday night had started so normally…

_Who the hell was the sexy witty guy I just traded barbs with? He sure as hell wasn't Lily's bitter ex Logan Echolls; no, this guy was funny, sharp, and verbally quick, felt fan-fucking-tastic spread out over me, and made my lips tingle with a deep-seated need to cover his gorgeous face with kisses._

_It's official: I've finally snapped with reality and am really locked up in the cuckoo-cuckoo house._

"_Damn girl, that was intense."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Me. Princess Kane. Kissing. Keep up!"_

_I shook myself clear of Logan-induced fog and really paid attention to my best friend. His mouth was swollen and red, but even more worrisome was the slightly dazed look in his brown eyes. I've seen that look before and it never translates into something good (well, I can't say Mario isn't something good, but his mom on the other hand)._

"_You know she was just doing it because her ex was here, right?" I'd been keeping an eye on them all night and Lily only started her flirting routine the minute she noticed Logan arrived. I would be completely impressed with how fast she switched up her personality if it wasn't at the expense of Weevil. _

"_It was worth it though, chica. She's one fine-assed woman with – "_

"_Okay, I love you and all, but I'd prefer if you didn't give me a blow by blow of her physical attributes."_

"_What I wouldn't give for a blow from her."_

_I made a retching sound, which only made him grin wider. _

"_Sides, I didn't think you noticed, not with the intense convo going down between you and Lily's boy."_

_I shrugged off his observation, not ready to explain exactly what was going on, especially since I couldn't figure out what the hell just happened. "He tripped me up and then insulted me, so I had to return the favor. Well, the insulting part at least."_

_Weevil groaned. "Damn V, your tongue is hella sharp. I'm surprised he's still not bleeding from the ballectomy you gave him. I almost feel sorry for him."_

"_Hell, he deserves everything I give him and more!"_

"_Whoa, chica, I'm not siding with his white ass, I'm just sayin', you're hardcore sometimes, you know?"_

"_Whatevs. You ready to bounce? I'm thinking with a fight going on and underage drinking; it won't be long until the Po-Po rolls in."_

"_Yah, just what I need, a bunch of cops roundin' up the usual suspects. Where'd Max disappear to?"_

_Surprisingly, we found Max chatting with the only other non-09er besides us at the damn beach. I recognized the look on his face and wondered what it was about these fucking Neptune girls that seemed to throw my boys for a ring-a-ding loop. He reluctantly parted from his new mon amie, making sure to leave her his cell number and e-mail _just in case_ she wanted to continue their conversation. _

"_You didn't leave her your home address?"_

"_Damn, you think I should have?"_

"_Chill, Max, I was kidding!" _

"_She's hella cool, Ronnie. She's into the same bands, loves anime, and plays video games."_

"_Wow, a match made in Nerd Heaven. What's this paragon's name?"_

"_Mac. She's a junior at Neptune High. Maybe you've seen her around?"_

"_Uh, no I can't say I have. It's not like I go out of my way to meet new people."_

"_Jesus, V, the CIA is friendlier than you."_

"_Yeah, 'cause they're all about spreading love and kisses across the world."_

"_What, you call threatening to barbeque six football players unless one of them admitted their guilt friendly?"_

_The silence was cricket loud and I could see Weevil's face scrunching into an uncomfortable frown as he recognized the untenable memories he'd unburied._

"_Too soon?" Two seconds later. "Hey, stop throwing shit at me, I'm driving here!"_

"_So, not to change the subject or anything, but speaking of new people, who was tall, dark, and studly you were talking to so intensely?"_

"_Oh ho, you noticed it too, eh Max?"_

"_Cheese and Rice guys! It was nothing; he's Lily's ex Logan, the emo guy she came to Dog's Beach to avoid."_

"_Yet, he somehow showed up and started chatting _you_ up instead of her."_

"_More because he tripped over me and didn't get the last word in. He's such an asshat, he followed me just to insult me. His royal assness was angered that I breathed his precious air."_

"_She used ass twice. Sounds like true love to me."_

I tensed when I sensed someone coming up beside me, but I relaxed when he spoke. "Of all the beaches in all the towns in all the world and she has to stand on mine."

"You do know that's not how the line goes, right?"

"Actor's kid, remember? But there is much to be said about paraphrasing."

"Wow, that's a big word for you; were you looking up paraphernalia and accidentally skip a few pages?"

"You're not as funny or witty as you think you are."

"Yet you keep coming back for more." I peeked at him from the corner of my eye. "What're you doing here Echolls? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I would ask the same thing, truant. Lily said you had some business to take care of." He made a show of looking around. "Nice business being on the beach."

I wondered what he would say if I told him I couldn't trust my mother to go to work unless I drove her there; that she'd called in "sick" the day before because she was so drunk I could smell her through my bedroom door. Would he understand the fear I lived with every day that I would come home to another eviction notice plastered on our door because she didn't pay the rent like the place in L.A.?

But I know this game, so the words spin off my tongue with little effort. "Wow gathering intel on me from your ex, ballsy. There are stalker laws in California, you know."

"I know. I have at least three restraining orders out."

"Hmn, that's nothing. I have six."

"Your milkshake bringing all the boys to the yard?"

"Well, actually, they're against me."

Logan's eyebrow quirked as he tried to decipher my tone; I was being serious, but I wasn't sure why I just blurted the information out to him. He had no reason to know my business. _Focus, Mars!_

Fortunately I found a distraction from the questions about to spill forth. "I see you brought your Dick."

"Are you-what-huh?" The confusion on his face shouldn't be adorable, but fuck if he didn't make it look good.

"Dude, I thought we were coming here to surf, not talk to bitches."

"Wooo, some shiner you got there Ali. Did your face meet _Connor Larkin's_ fists?" I couldn't help the breathless emphasis on the actor's name. It was fun to watch the red rise in both boys' faces. "How's Madison doing?"

He ignored me. "Logan, with me or not?"

I half expected Dick to stomp his foot and pout like a frustrated four-year-old.

"Echolls, you are aware you have to keep your pet on a leash, right? It says so on that sign over there."

"Dick, grab the boards, I'll be right there."

It was probably wise he sent the blonde surfer away because I was pretty certain the kid was about three seconds away from imploding.

"He really shouldn't bottle his emotions up like that. It can't be good for his blood pressure."

"Do you have an off switch?" There was a note in his voice I didn't understand.

"Sorry, stud, I'm not one of your animatronics chicks where you can just turn me on when you wanna fuck and then store me away when you're done."

"Who said anything about fucking?" His cocoa brown eyes swept over my body and suddenly my t-shirt and jeans combo seemed woefully underdressed, which was strange since he was in a skin-tight wetsuit that showed off every muscle he had _(that I could see)._ I was circumspect enough not to let my eyes dip below shoulder level, though I really _really_ wanted to, and kinda weirded out by how much I wanted to. I'm a healthy female, don't get me wrong, but this was Lily's ex and the school's psychotic jackass.

Reminding myself of this centered me and I threw off the odd girlish moment.

"Honey, there are men who think with two brains, and there are men who can only think with one. Ten bucks for which category you fall into."

It was the perfect exit line and I gratefully turned, making sure to grab my discarded shoes before walking away.

"I'd rate your exit a six."

I stopped (_why did I stop?) _but refused to look over my shoulder. "I'd say it deserved at least a seven point five."

"Fine, I'll give you an extra point because you have a nice ass, but I refuse to go any higher."

"_Please_, my ass is worth three stars at least."

"Woohoo, the girl has an inflated opinion of herself. I've seen better."

"I'm sure you have. Were they also walking away?"

"No, they were bent over my bed."

How the hell had he gotten so close to whisper in my ear without me realizing it?

"Cat got your tongue?"


	11. Dick and Beaver Not a Dirty Joke

**A/N: Ok, I'm having too much fun with these two and I really need to get going with the plot instead of the fluffiness! After this though…

* * *

**

Saving Abel

_Cat got your tongue?_

Logan hovered over Veronica's tiny form, his breath held as he waited for her to respond. He felt invigorated and flushed being around her, as if all his senses were operating at hyper speeds; it was the weirdest feeling, one he wasn't used to, but he kind of liked it.

Without warning, Veronica whipped around and flung her shoes at his chest, blue eyes snapping in temper. He was mesmerized by the color and clarity, as if her eyes really were windows into her soul, and wondered what he would read there if he stared long enough.

"How dare you say that to me!"

"What?"

"Innocence doesn't suit you, Echolls. You're hitting on me."

Logan splayed his hands against his cheeks with maidenly surprise. "I am? Heaven forfend."

"Ok, excusing the bizarre expression you just used, I am Lily's friend and you're her _ex._"

"You've been her friend for a minute and we both know it won't last longer than that. Besides, she moved on, or didn't you see that Saturday night? It's classic Lily Kane: move on before the sheets are cooled from the last lovah."

The fierce frown veeing her eyebrows shouldn't be cute, but Logan could admit he was aroused by the strangest things sometimes. "She wasn't hitting on Weevil until _you_ showed up. I spent the day with them and while she flirted with him because he's a good-looking boy, it wasn't anything remotely like what happened when you stumbled onto the beach."

Logan couldn't deny a little skip in his heart beat at hearing Lily hadn't found a replacement already. _Weevil? How does Veronica know him?_

"And the look on your face is exactly why you shouldn't be hitting on me. It's incredibly insulting you think because I'm not a sacred 09er, I'd be okay with being the bounce girl for you until she whistles for you."

""Heaven forfend" is bizarre but "bounce girl" isn't?"

"I am no man's rebound. I am the main entrée, not an h'ordeuvres!"

He couldn't resist sweeping his eyes over her body with the patented Logan Echolls smirk firmly planted on his lips. "You are only bite-size, so you must be from an entrée from a fru-fru French restaurant."

"It's not my fault you were put on growth hormones as a baby and are freakishly tall."

"Freakishly tall? I'm only 5'11, woman."

"That's ten inches on me, so in my books you're freakish."

"I do have ten inches on you and in all the right places too."

"Urgggh! Why does every conversation we have devolve into innuendos?"

"You mean all two? And you were flirting back with the remarks about your stellar ass. Besides when you have two good looking people of the opposite sex with hetero inclinations standing close together, sex is bound to come up, among other things." He risked a rakish wink just to see what she would do.

"If anything comes up any more, you're going to pass out from lack of blood circulation." Her hand flew up to her mouth and he knew she hadn't meant to let the last snarky comment slip out.

"Oh ho, Mars, have you been peeking down under?"

"That's a horrible Aussie accent you know."

"Lily always said girls love a man with an accent."

"It's true we are a sucker for it. Didn't _Connor Larkin_ have a British accent in that robot movie? God the accent and those abs…" her voice trailed off as a dreamy expression entered her eyes.

Logan swore he would punch out his _ex_-friend the next time he saw him. It was intolerable how much tail the man got when he _wasn't even there_! "He used to stutter."

"Excuse me?"

"You probably wouldn't have liked him in middle school. He had big ears and a stutter." _What the hell are you doing, Echolls? Who cares about fucking Connor Larkin? And why does she always have to say his first and last name like that?_ "I'm surprised you weren't all over him at the bonfire on Saturday if you liked him so much."

Veronica ducked her head and slid one foot against the other; who knew the shy school girl pose would be devastating to Logan's senses? He literally had to tighten his muscles to keep from reaching out and grabbing her. "I didn't want to be one of _those_ girls. You know the type: the goopy-eyed breathless twit who won't ever wash her hand because _he_ touched it." Her light eyelashes looked so long as she blinked slowly. "I'd rather be left with my fantasies than be disappointed with reality."

"From what I hear, your fantasies would probably be better than reality. However, I am here…"

"Logan! Beav's here. You coming or staying with _her_?" Dick's shout interrupted their conversation and Logan seriously thought about strangling his best friend but figured a jury might not buy self-defense. _Why is it whenever I talk to her, Dick and fucking Connor Larkin somehow interfere?_

"Your woman is calling, you better get going."

"Oh sure, get started talking about sex and then go before I'm finished."

"I was not talking about sex or at least sex with you. "

"You would've. I'm irresistible and I know you want to take a ride on the Echolls Roller Coaster."

"You didn't just seriously liken sex with you to a roller coaster."

He nodded smugly. "There's always excitement and highs."

"Swiftly followed by plunging lows and nausea?"'

"It's worth the payoff." He subtly thrust his pelvis in her direction.

Her blue gaze seared him from shoulders to toes when she took a nice long look at his leanly muscled body. "Nope, still not interested. Read my lips Logan: I will not be your rebound or revenge fuck so turn off the smolder and find an empty-headed bottle blond to use until you guys get back together. I'm sure there are still a few girls at Neptune you haven't managed to bone yet."

"Logan!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

He didn't know why he wanted to keep standing there talking to Veronica instead of surfing with Dick as planned, but that breathless feeling still hadn't left and in fact intensified during their banter. Not keen on introspection, Logan was content to chalk it up to mingled frustrated lust and amusement.

"You'll be back at school tomorrow?"

Veronica's eyes shifted from his and she slightly shrugged. "Depends on what's going on."

"What could be more important than school?"

"Stuff."

"Can you define stuff a little more?"

"You're funny, Echolls. As you pointed out earlier, we've had two conversations and now you want me to spill my deepest darkest secrets to you? I don't think so."

"We haf ways to make you talk."

"Again with the bad accents? Well, at least your German one is more credible than your "throw the shrimp on the barbie," one."

"Fuck dude, if I knew we were coming here so you could track down your _girlfriend_ I wouldn't have bothered coming." The blond surfer's irritation was plain as he stomped up to them, sandwiching Veronica between two tall figures.

"I thought dicks always came?"

Dick gaped at her witticism and then at Logan when he burst into belly-deep laughter.

Veronica gracefully stepped away while toeing her shoes towards her so she didn't have to bend down in front of Logan. "Don't worry you boyfriend is going surfing with you. I was just leaving."

The slap upside the head wrenched Logan from his fascination with Veronica's ass as she walked away again.

"Dude, what the hell? Why is it every time I turn around you're talking to the Mars chick? I thought you were hung up on Lily."

Logan frowned at his friend. "I am. I didn't even know Veronica was going to be here."

"Yet you certainly zeroed on her the minute you pulled up and saw her standing at the waterline. That chick has bad news written all over her; you step into her world and you ain't coming out alive."

"Whoa, geesh. I barely know her, and this is like the fucking second time I've talked to her."

Dick scratched his head in frustration as he tried to convey the weird vibes he felt between his friend and the small blond. He wasn't used to expressing his feelings with words so he was at a loss on how to define it. Logan was intensity personified, always had been, but he noticed the intensity notched up to almost out of control levels the minute he came into Veronica Mars' orbit, which kinda freaked Dick out.

An out of control Logan was one fucking scary dude.

"Beav, help me out."

Beaver came up beside Dick, brown hair ruffling in the slight breeze, and the other two waited patiently for him to collect his thoughts as he was often the voice of reason for the Casablancas brothers.

"I think what Dick is trying to say is you're _different_ when she's around."

"What the fuck?"

"Dude, I was there the first time you saw her in the office. You zoned out and focused on her like you were riding the biggest fucking wave and had to balance just right."

Logan gaped at Dick.

"I noticed at lunch the other day you couldn't keep your eyes off her."

"Beav, she was sitting next to Lily, you know, the fucking love of my life!"

"I'm just sayin'."

"Well, you're both just sayin' utter bullshit. Until Saturday night, I never spoke a fucking word to Mars, and now you guys are picking out China patterns for us!"

"Whatever. Just remember I warned ya when the time comes."

"Jesus, Dick. You know Lily will drop her like a bad habit any day now and you'll laugh over your fucking concerns when she vanishes from our lives as quickly as she popped in."

Beaver had stopped listening to the conversation as his eyes focused on something beyond Logan. He balanced on the balls of his feet as if he wanted to surge forward, but was restraining himself.

Dick threw his hands up in defense. "Okay, okay. Sorry dude, just remember bros before hos."

"You done with your intervention now, Oprah? Can we just fucking surf?"

"Fine."

"Fine."

They'd gone a few feet when Beaver's hesitant voice reached them. "Uh guys, I hate to stop you, but isn't that Troy Vandegraff in the parking lot?"

"So? Who cares?"

"Well he looks like he's really pissed at Veronica right now."

Logan turned and saw it was indeed the Pan High School quarterback standing near Veronica yelling at her. Troy was one year ahead and used to go to Neptune, but transferred out at the beginning of Logan's sophomore year under some pretty shady circumstances; he didn't know all the details, only it involved a girl and some drugs.

"How the hell does she know Vandegraff?" And Vandegraff better back the fuck up if he knew what was good for him. He was crowding the much smaller girl against a vehicle_._

Dick sighed as he recognized the tone. "Dude, I told you…"

"Shut it." Logan flexed his hands unconsciously. Lily would be pissed she found out her friend got hurt and he just stood by. He was doing this for Lily's sake, not Veronica's. "You with me?"

"Yeah, I got your back."

"Beav?"

"I never liked Troy," the younger boy muttered darkly.


	12. Byronic Moment

**A/N: I've been agonizing over this for better part of two months and I finally had enough. I wash my hands of it because I'm tired of editing and rewriting it over and over again. The tone was so hard to balance - I wanted to explain a little about Veronica's dark past with Troy, while not completely losing the humor of the past few chapters, and move the relationship forward a smidgen at the same time (it's so hard trying to take it slow when all I want to do is throw them headfirst into LoVe!). Enjoy.**

* * *

The Road To Hell Is Paved By Fools

Logan was vaguely aware of Dick and Beaver at his back, but he ignored them as his entire attention was focused on the couple in front of him.

"Fucking bitch! You made me lose my football scholarship!"

The tall sandy-haired boy was screaming in her face, his hands fisted on either side of Veronica's head, his rangy body blocking her from escaping.

"I'm glad! You deserve everything you get you sick fuck!"

"I'm the sick fuck? _I'm_ the sick fuck? If you weren't so frigid in bed, I wouldn't have had to find other tail."

"So it's my fault you raped that girl?"

"It's not called rape when she's begging for it."8

"Ooh, really? How can a semi-comatose girl beg for sex?"

"Fucking lying whore! She wanted it so bad she practically shoved it in my face."

"She was fourteen at the time, Troy! And she was drugged! The tox screens from the hospital proved there was GHB in her system; drugs _you_ supplied."

"You can't prove that."

"You're right, I can't. But there was video on _your_ phone of you raping an unconscious minor courtesy of your dumb-ass friends. _That_ I can prove!"

Logan saw an ugly expression flash across Vandegraff's face and knew - just fucking _knew - _he was going to haul back and punch her. Everything seemed to slow down and take on a red film as if the world was awash in blood; then suddenly, clarity came back with a rush when he realized his fists were repeatedly pummeling the other kid's face as he sat on his chest.

"What the fuck are you doing, Echolls?"

Veronica's tone was frigid, a refreshing snap back to a confusing reality.

"Uh...saving you?"

"I think you can get off him now."

Logan stared down at Vandegraff's pulped face with fierce satisfaction, even if he didn't remember how he got from standing on the sand to punching the guy out. He looked at his hands and saw the skin was split, blood running in thin rivulets; pain was there, but dull, not sharp, so he knew he didn't break anything, which seemed a minor but important detail.

"Echolls get the fuck off him."

He felt her words, her command, deep in his bones as if the marrow of his body responded to her in the most primal of ways; he slowly slipped off the now unconscious boy and stood, turning to her furious face with his hands uncurled and defenseless. Veronica's eyes were the blue heart of flame, a scorching heat that sought to separate flesh and muscle from bone.

"I'm perfectly capable to take care of myself and didn't need you to interfere."

"He was going to hit you."

"So?."

"What exactly could _you_ do?" Logan knew mocking her defense skills wasn't the best way to go, but his temper was still riding a thin line and his blood pounded through him in an obvious way.

"I would've jammed his instep, before kneeing his groin, and finish up by popping him in the nose."

Logan stared at Veronica's piquant face then down at her persecutor. "As if that works outside movies. Unless you learned those moves in a self-defense class?"

"Well, when you're the size of a Polly Pocket doll, you gotta learn how to step up. And no, I learned it from Big Betty down at the Y."

"Ironic friendship?"

"Not really; bitch hated me and whomped on me every chance she got. I was tired of being beaten up, so I watched _Karate Kid _a few dozen times, learned how to do the Crane and went down to kick her ass."

"I'm sensing a "but" here."

"...but I slipped on some wet tiles, cracked my head, and had to be taken to the hospital for several stitches." She leaned forward, parting her hair in the back and he could see a long white zag at the base of her skull. "Wicked cool scar according to Max, but I can't see it." Veronica straightened with a bitter laugh, oblivious to his outstretched hand or his desire to cradle her skull and touch the proof of her imperfection.

"Why the hell did you interfere with my conversation with Troy?"

"You call that conversation? Where I come from, it's an argument. And if you wanted it to be private, probably should've have yelled at the top of your lungs."

She sighed, laughter draining from her face. "Yeah, well, it was none of your fucking business." The sudden hardness of her tone was jarring and Logan stiffened against the rejection of his help.

"He was going to _hit _you." Logan's quietly furious tone gave each word a raw edge capable of bleeding the unwary. "Boys don't fucking hit girls."

A spark of something old and dangerous slipped across the seething surface of her eyes, instantly consumed by the heat of her anger. Logan half-recognized it, but his mind refused to put a name to the emotion because he instinctively knew it would make the embers of his own formidable temper burn higher until he was ablaze with righteous fury. It was better for them both, for everyone, if he didn't _know_ whatever put that look on Veronica's face.

"Am I supposed to call you my hero now,?"

A sardonic smile curled his lips. "I can see how you might confuse my wetsuit for a unitard, but trust me when I say there's no S secretly painted on my chest."

Her head tilted slightly as she considered him, blond hairs slipping across her face and delicate neck. He wanted to brush them away, feel the silky strands, but just managed to keep himself from touching her by curling his hands into fists again, relishing the dull ache radiating upwards to his wrists.

"If there was, somehow I doubt it would stand for Superman."

"Is that anyway to talk to your hero?"

"Well, if I see him, I won't be rude." She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and took his abused hands into hers, thin fingers gently wiping the blood away. "You break your knuckles?"

Logan shook his head, voice caught behind a huge lump in his throat. If he didn't know it wasn't medically possible, he would think it was his heart blocking the way. Her skin was soft and cool against his, easing the pain away with every small touch. He wasn't used to tenderness and wanted to strain away from it, but he was also afraid to move, to shatter the moment.

"He wouldn't have hit me, you know. He's scared of me."

"What did you do to make him scared?"

He caught the edge of a grin before she ducked her head again to stare at their entwined hands. "I locked him and five of his buddies into the gym at his school and threatened to burn it down."

"Holy shit! That was you?"

A red tide flushed her cheeks. "Yeah."

"I remember seeing it on the news. A few weeks after he was brought up on charges of statutory rape..." his voice trailed off as her earlier words came back to him. "Wait...was that what you were arguing about with him?"

She nodded, her mouth opening and closing, but no sound emerging. Her slender shoulders rose and fell with her breaths, then... "Her name was Callie. I knew her by sight, if not name. She was a nerdy band geek who played at every football game, and worshiped the ground Troy walked on."

Logan raised a bloodied finger to her lips and laid it against the berry-colored flesh. He didn't need Veronica to continue, to speak the awful truth he knew boiled within her. He was an 09er Prince, used to nerdy band geeks throwing themselves at him like flowers strewn beneath his feet, so he knew the end to this tale.

Knew by the use of the past tense, Callie no longer lived. She probably used a razor on thin wrists, or a bottle of pills, whatever would silence the soul-deep screams. Girls like that always took the melodramatic route; it was so sad to be a fucking cliche.

"His rich daddy got a high-priced lawyer to defend his scum-sucking son, but it was a moot point when they found her body."

"How did you find out?"

Veronica raised shame-filled blue eyes to his. "I was dating him at the time and didn't believe it. _Couldn't_ believe it. If he did it, what did that make him? What did that make _me_ for dating him?" Her mouth twisted in self-derision. "I figured it was a mistake, that somehow she'd mistaken him for someone else. She was drugged after all, so how could she really remember? I never called her any names, but I didn't defend her either. She was so fucking strong, she took all the crap his friends dealt to her, but she finally broke when they started writing "slut" and "whore" on her locker, got their girlfriends to throw her clothes in the toilet, ostracized her to the point everyone abandoned her."

"No, _how_ did you _find _out?" He didn't know why it was so important for her to answer his question, but he asked it of her again.

"We were having a party at his place, and after several shots, I had enough so I went to his bedroom to sleep it off. I didn't want to sleep in my clothes, so I undressed and went through his drawer to get a shirt." Anger and shame vied for supremacy on her expressive face. "I saw his phone, the one he said he lost, buried beneath the clothes." Her voice had taken on a stilted quality, as if she were suppressing sobs. "I don't know what made me look. I don't know."

Logan closed his eyes and gently touched his forehead to hers. She sighed, a deep and low sound seemingly from her belly, and relaxed against him slightly. If he wasn't so attuned to her body, he would never have felt the give.

"By the time I gave the cops the evidence, her body was already four hours cold. I did it all for nothing. For fucking nothing. She's still dead, he's free, and I'm the potential arsonist with six restraining orders against me."

"Why go to that trouble when you already knew he had done it?"

"Because he never once admitted it: not to me, not to her, and certainly not to the cops. I just wanted him to say the words out loud, to let _someone_ hear the fucking truth, even if the case would never go to trial. I was too late, too fucking late, and now..."

Veronica straightened away from him and let go of his hands. "And now he's unconscious on my turf courtesy of you, and I'm gonna get blamed for it."

Logan glanced over his shoulder to where Beav and Dick waited, their faces creased with concern and confusion. He knew how it looked, him and Veronica being close like this, but he couldn't explain it to them without betraying her confidence in him. Hell, he couldn't explain it to _himself_ how the two of them had come to this in such a short time.

"I think the boys and I can take care of Vandegraff. He can't exactly lodge a complaint without witnesses, and it looks kinda suspicious him showing up in Neptune, the hometown of his rival school, and where his "stalker" lives."

"Why are you involving yourself with this Echolls? What do you get out of it?"

Her eyes had lost the hazy ocean blue of regret, and returned to the hot heart of a hungry flame. She regretted telling him her truths, had retreated behind the smokescreen of anger to shield her nakedness from him. He understood this, understood _her_ if only in this moment, so he did her a kindness born of his understanding.

"Because I was hoping if I saved you from the bully, you'd tell Lily about it, and she might..." he trailed off meaningfully, hoping she would fill in the blank herself.

A faint smirk curved her lips and she stepped even further back. "...rethink her break up. Might think you turned from a shallow conceited overbearing prick into the guy she really looking for. What every woman looks for."

"Ouch, that's a little harsh."

"Truth hurts, huh?" Her eyes slipped from his and she turned her attention back to Vandegraff. "I will sing your praises from the friggin' rooftops if you'll take care of him. I can't afford to get sent to...to get in trouble for this."

"We will. We take care of our own."

"Spare me, Echolls. We both know I'm gold-plated. Just do this for me and I'll talk to Lily. Don't know what the hell I can say, but I'll put in a good word."

Logan swallowed hard at the tinge of bitter creeping into her tone again, but didn't refute her words. It was for the best; she really didn't belong with them, and it was good she knew it. It had just slipped out, but it didn't actually_ mean_ anything.

He was still staring after the long since departed Veronica when Dick and Beaver came to his side.

"Dude, what the fuck just happened?"

"Normally I'd be more eloquent than my brother, but...what the fuck?"

"This piece of shit thought it would be fun to come to our side and heckle his ex_-_girlfriend."

"Vandegraff went slumming in trailer-park world? Hope he had his shots; can never be too sure what diseases you might catch from girls like Mars."

Logan wasn't sure who was more surprised when he punched Dick and nearly knocked him over: Dick, Beav, or himself. Either way, he couldn't let his friend joke about this. Anything else about Veronica was fair game, but _not this_.

"Dick, listen to me. Say one fucking word about Veronica or Troy and I swear to God I will kick your ass." He glanced at his other companion. "The same goes for you too."

The blond surfer held his hand to his cheek, shock and wariness lacing his bright blue eyes. "Dude, chill the fuck out. I won't, I promise. Geesh, touchy touchy."

Beaver put up his hands in surrender; he knew there was no way he could hope to take on Logan and win. At least in a physical match. "I would like to point out I'm the one who told you Troy was messing with Veronica."

Logan drew a deep breath, trying to still his racing heart and find his zen zone, the sense of peacefulness he found whenever he was out on the water. He didn't know what made him react so violently to Dick's comment about Veronica. It wasn't like he hadn't said or thought similar things in the past two weeks about her himself.

Things were just different now.

"Sorry. I'm...yeah...anyway. Here's what we're going to do with Troy."

Later that night Logan lay across his bed watching the shadows dance and leap across his ceiling as he tried avoiding thoughts of Veronica. He wasn't used to being knotted up over a girl who's name didn't start with Lily and end with Kane. Three glorious years of riotous ups and downs as he fought, loved, and despaired over being good enough, sexy enough, or just fucking_ enough_ for the resident 09er princess.

He still remembered the first time he caught her making out with another guy on a bed during a party, her hand busily working the buttons of his jeans. He'd stood in the doorway watching as she moaned and writhed under the guy, her voice a husky rasp as she whispered how much of a turn on it was fooling around with her boyfriend in the next room.

A perverse sense of excitement had taken hold of him then, as if he were watching live porn instead of his girlfriend cheating on him. It was a surreal moment he never quite forgot, even as he snapped out of it, and broke the guy's jaw to the accompaniment of Lily's screaming "Stop!"

Before he realized it, Lily's irritated voice was in his ear. "What the hell, Logan? It's 2 AM. Why are you calling me now?"

"Did you ever love me? I mean, really love me?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? How much did you have to drink?"

"I'm sober."

"Bullshit. You only ask me these stupid questions when you're drunk."

"Probably because I'm afraid to ask you without liquid courage. You never said "I love you," to me, you know."

He could hear a faint rustling of her sheets as she turned over. The silence seemed deafening as it stretched on for eternity before she finally broke it with a faint sigh.

"Logan. I did. I do. But not in the way you need me to. I can't be ... you're just so ..."

"What? Just tell me Lily. Be honest with me for once."

"You're just so fucking needy! You need someone to be consumed by you, to be as crazy possessive and jealous as you are. I don't think you can be in a normal relationship with a girl."

"Define normal."

"Flirting. Fun. Dancing. Partying and laughing. You know, just let loose. You live too much in your head and I can't follow you there."

"I'm very fun."

"No, no you aren't. You're Heathcliff and Hamlet. And I refuse to be Catherine or Ophelia."

Logan felt as if his throat was being shredded as disbelieving laughter poured from him. "I'm not some fucking anti-hero or wailing bitch who's too limp-dick to take revenge."

"I'm just sayin' you're too high maintenance. You need what I can't give you. Hell, Logan, you need help. I mean with everything going on at your house..."

The click of his phone closing was loud in the hushed stillness of his room. At least thoughts of Veronica no longer crossed his mind.


	13. A Lannister Always Pays Her Debts

The Art of Fencing

I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, conscious of how bare my neck felt. My hair hadn't been long, barely shoulder length, but in a fit of emotion last night I had taken a pair of scissors to the blond strands, the control I had over the snipping soothing the roiling in my chest. Weevil had made me swear upon our friendship I wouldn't resort to my usual methods of releasing tension, so my hair was the closest thing I could come to the same act.

The door behind me flew open and banged against the wall heralding the arrival of one Lilly Kane. I snorted softly to myself as I watched her through the mirror, pinpointing the exact moment when she realized no one else was in here but me. The haughty mask of self-entitlement fell, though she still kept a blank look on her face. We were _friends _of a sort, I guess, but honestly I was just waiting until the other shoe fell. Girls like Lilly don't befriend girls like me without ulterior motives; already she used _my_ friend as a shot in the endless war with Logan and it was another point in the con column against her. If she'd truly been attracted to Weevil, I wouldn't have cared, but I could see her machinations a mile away the moment her ex showed up.

"Lilly."

"Ronica."

I gritted my teeth against the stupid nickname. Was the "ve" sound too much for her gold-plated mouth to say? I didn't bother correcting her because it wasn't worth the headache in the long run, and I knew enough about her to know she'd ignore my wishes anyway. We had a reckoning coming – I could feel it in my bones – but it wouldn't be over this.

"Nice haircut. Very pixish of you," she cooed sweetly, and completely falsely, as she pulled her lipstick from her handbag. The red lips were vampy and bold, exactly the shade she was going for, and I wanted to tell her to wipe it off so she would stop looking like the whores who used to ply their trade near my old house, but again, self-preservation kept my mouth shut. It wasn't a good place to be, high up on the mountain, because the fall down could kill you. I had learned that to my detriment and wasn't keen on repeating it here.

"Thanks. I was needing a new look. New school and all that," I retorted, turning my eyes to the sink where I began washing my hands.

"I totally understand. Maybe a new wardrobe while you're at it? I mean, if you want boys to take you seriously you don't want to look trashy."

I could respect her first thrust, soaked as it was with cloying concern. I concluded this was part of a longer con she was running and decided not to retaliate. I needed a distraction from the mess of my life outside school and I figured Lilly could be an interesting way to pass the time. Plus I knew it drove Logan nuts trying to figure out why we were friends. He understood Lilly and seemed to truly care for her, if I could believe his about face at the beach yesterday. I still had no desire to get in between these two because I would just end up collateral damage, but since I knew the score, I could watch their antics from a safe distance. I shuddered internally thinking about the type of obsession those two shared; it was so unhealthy, and this was coming from _me_, not exactly the poster girl for functional relationships.

So I turned towards her with wide eyes. "You think I look trashy?" My lower lip wobbled a bit, but I bravely bucked up. "I'm not exactly, you know, rolling with it."

If I hadn't known to look for it, I would've missed the tiny spark of triumph lighting her eyes or the blink-and-you'll-miss-it smirk that whipped across her whorish lips. She thought she had me in the palm of her delicate hand and I did nothing to disabuse her of the notion. Hell, if this scored me some new clothes I wouldn't exactly cry over my good fortune. I dressed like I did because it was all I could afford.

"Stick with me kid, and you'll go places."

I wanted to roll my eyes at her shitty paraphrasing from _Cocktail_, but I refrained. It wouldn't do for her to realize I could see right through her; girls like her needed to be handled gently, like an unpinned grenade, if you wanted to get out of range of the blast.

"Uh, hey, what's going on with you and Logan?"

I watched her face like a hawk, though I tried to disguise it behind a sweetly concerned expression. I didn't exactly want her to know I myself had ulterior motives; I owed Logan and I always paid my debts. I really hated owing people anything, be it money or favors because I could never be sure it wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass later.

There was a small tightening of her mouth and narrowing of her eyes, but nothing else passed over her face. I didn't know her long enough to be able to read her _that_ well, but I definitely knew the signs of an angry girl. Something had happened yesterday – either before Logan found me or after we parted ways – and it pissed her off something fierce.

She threw her lipstick into her purse and turned away from her reflection to face me. "Why do you want to know?"

I shrugged. "I ran into him at the beach yesterday and he was asking me all these questions about you. I didn't know what to say." I had no intentions of ever telling her what actually went down and could only hope Logan wouldn't either. And keep a muzzle on his friends. It was weird trusting someone not of my inner circle, but I had no choice in this case. I still couldn't understand _why_ I confessed what happened; it wasn't exactly a secret, as my arrest and allegations were part of the public record, yet he wouldn't have known enough to put the pieces together without my big mouth opening up.

She smiled coldly then, and I was thankful I was made of sterner stuff because it was not nice at all. I wondered if she realized how much she revealed but figured if she did, it wouldn't matter to her since I was a nobody and she was Lilly _fucking_ Kane, Queen of Neptune High.

"Logan just _happened_ to run into you on the beach? After asking me questions about where you were all day?" She arched a perfectly plucked brow. "Are you sure _I'm_ what you two talked about?"

I wanted to groan and slam my head against the wall at her words. I ignored the information about Logan asking about me – _what was he thinking? _- and focused instead on the crux of her anger. As part of her clique, I'd been inundated with more information about the Logan and Lilly show than I'd ever really needed or wanted, but I had discovered that as much as Lilly broke up with him (and cheated on him, though that was spoken about in whispers), she still considered him _her_ property. And if Logan's reaction was any indication, he didn't want to let go either, despite her sexy snuggle with Weevil.

These two _seriously_ put the dysfunction in dysfunctional relationships.

Her expression made it abundantly clear that me being in any proximity of Logan without her being there had crossed some line I'd been unaware of. I'd just jeopardized my prize position as her "bestie" and I needed to do damage control before she decided I was a Japanese village in need of Godzilla-like razing.

"Yeah! He kept asking me if we ever talked about him, what you thought about him, if you were really dating Weevil." I really deserved an Oscar for my role as empty-headed ingenue, two things I was definitely not. I wasn't stupid enough to think Lilly wasn't cunning or sly enough to see through me, but she hadn't taken the time to get to know me outside of school, so I was banking on her cluelessness to my true nature. I was a friend in the hallways and classrooms of Neptune High and not someone she hung out with at her house or even the mall.

"Oh really?"

I nodded, tucking a loose strand behind my ear, watching Lilly ease down from Def Con 5. I really needed to sell this next point if I was going to survive her wrath. "He kinda scares me. I mean, he's hot, don't get me wrong, but he's so angry, you know?" I visibly shuddered.

Lilly smiled again, though this time I couldn't quite read its meaning. Her blue eyes stopped boring into me and she flicked through her purse, looking for some eyeshadow. I docilely watched as she spread metallic gray across her pale lids, waiting for her to speak.

"Logan really is a powder-keg of emotions, so I can understand why you wouldn't be able to _handle_ him." A sensual look replaced the unreadable one as she admired her handiwork. "But it's what makes him so delicious in bed. He really knows how to work a girl's body, if you know what I mean."

I tilted my head in true befuddlement. I really didn't know what she meant, even though I'm not a virgin. I'd had exactly three sexual partners, two of whom were boyfriends, so it wasn't like I was lacking experience, but I could honestly say I had never had the same religious experience she seemed to be describing.

"No, I don't."

She turned a scandalized face in my direction. "What? You've never had a guy spend all his time focusing on your pleasure before taking care of his own? It's one of the reasons I keep him around."

"Then why break up with him?"

Lilly shrugged, the material of her oversize blue shirt slipping off her shoulder to reveal a lacy bra strap. "The sex was good, but everything else was too much work. He so fucking needy!"

I startled at the first glimpse of real emotion from her. It also gave me an uncomfortable view into Logan's life, even if it was from a bad-mouthing ex. There was a story here and damn if my curiosity wasn't tingling. Or it could just be I wanted my own pound of flesh since I'd revealed something very personal to a virtual stranger.

Fortunately Lilly didn't notice my lapse and returned to her makeup, still nattering on about Logan, though the emotional tenor of her outburst was replaced by typical ex-bashing: he didn't pay enough attention to her (I wondered exactly how much attention a guy was _supposed_ to give her since I'd personally seen Logan's obsession with every detail), didn't call when he said he would, forgot anniversaries (again I highly doubted this, though it was more a sense than actual proof), ad nauseum.

I was thankful for the first bell to ring as it broke into her barrage of words. I had no problem being the sidekick, but damn if it wasn't hard work listening and trying to keep a straight face at the same time. If this was the extent of her problems – an ex who seemingly worshiped the ground she walked on – than she needed to be dropped into the run-down neighborhoods in Los Angeles to see _real_ suffering.

"I do hope if Logan asks you again for information, you won't tell him about this little session?"

I blinked. "What session?"

"Good girl." She ruffled my hair a little as if patting me, then rummaged through her purse again and retrieved a Cubic Zirconia hair clip before pushing some of my bangs to the side. I looked at my new hair-style and thought it actually made me look chic rather than choppy.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," she winked at my mirror visage, than locked arms with me. "Lets get to our lockers before we're _late_."

We both laughed hilariously at that because it was well-known no teacher would dare mark Lilly Kane tardy. I marched under her banner now, so that protection would extend to me as well. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, might as well join them and enjoy the perks.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, it's been over a year since I last updated this story and I still have readers. Hopefully this chapter won't be _too_ disappointing after such a long time; it took me a little bit to find the character's voice again and pick back up where I left off ****(I have most of the story outlined on index cards). It may or may not fit in with the previous chapters, but I feel this is an important character arc and story growth to explain a few things. Also, the picture I've used as the story image is Kristen Bell and it inspired the haircut Veronica has in this chapter (if you look closely, her hair is actually pinned up, but from the side it looks like a short haircut). Thanks as always for reading and reviewing!**


	14. Fun and Games Until Someone Loses An Eye

Taming of the Shrew

At first Logan refused to believe it.

There was no way his Bobcat was turned into a tame house cat under Lilly's tutelage.

But a month went by without any signs of the facade cracking or thawing, and he was forced to admit Veronica really had changed. Or maybe more to the point, he'd hallucinated the first few weeks of school and, most especially, the day on the beach. She couldn't have been as fiery or passionate, sad or broken, as he remembered.

Nowadays the short skirts, combat boots, and ironic t-shirts were replaced with twinset sweaters, floral print tops, floaty skirts, baby-doll dresses and ballet flats. At one point he even saw a strand of pearls –_ fucking _pearls – wound around her throat, and he wanted to punch something. Or someone. Feral creatures weren't meant to wear collars and she looked ridiculous. Of course when he shared his opinion during American History, Lilly, who now sat between them, had ripped him a new one; to her, dressing Veronica like a doll was her newest hobby and she didn't like anyone interfering with her project. The only jarring thing about Veronica's new image was her pixie haircut. The curly strands fought restraints and seemed the only outward sign she wasn't an 09er clone.

Logan knew he should look away because prolonged attention to Veronica threatened to dismantle his appearance of indifference he'd carefully cultivated, but it was surprisingly hard, especially when her bare nape taunted him so. He had a type - blonde, thin, and stacked - which wasn't surprising in a surfer boy from sunny So-Cal, but _she_ wasn't_ his _type despite fulfilling two of the three main qualities. Hell, he didn't think she was _anyone's_ type, unless they liked their females tiny, feisty, and infuriating, though Logan distantly knew he was being ridiculous because of _course_ someone would want her, but he wasn't that someone.

On the other hand, it really should be illegal for a girl's neck to be so seductively elegant, and he'd like to go on record that he didn't approve of Veronica's new hair cut because it revealed an intriguing array of freckles at the side of her throat. It was a sign post lit up in neon stating "press suction here."

"Dude, why do you keep glaring at Ronica?"

"Who?" he snapped, without turning his attention away from the smirking girl. Even at this distance he could tell by her expression she was inwardly mocking the boy Lilly had dragged her to meet. Homecoming was next weekend and he knew from the conversation earlier that Veronica didn't have a date yet, which naturally Lilly _had _to rectify.

"Ronica."

"Her name is Veronica." _Ronica_ was Lilly's creation and Logan instinctively rejected it. Dick's interruption, however, had the added benefit of breaking his concentration so he switched his gaze to his friend.

Dick looked puzzled. "That's what I said."

"No, you said -" Logan stopped, nearly face-palming himself when he realized he was arguing with Dick. _No one_ argued with him because it wasn't worth the expended air to get him to understand something. "Never mind. I'm not glaring at her; I was just thinking and she happened to be in the same direction I was looking."

An obvious untruth, but the beauty of Dick was his inability to parse truth from lies or sarcasm from sincerity. He wasn't stupid, so much as oblivious. He rose above the likes of Corny the resident Neptune High stoner due to his coveted zip code address, but in reality he was a Kushian broheim in spirit and would probably create tasteless bongs in class too if Logan wasn't around to stop him.

And so what if he was glaring? It wasn't right for Lilly to take Veronica over to one of the lesser tables (_see any table not in the coveted second level courtyard_) to introduce her to Sean Friedrich, an 09er who hadn't quite made it into the upper echelons of high school society despite his family's wealth. He was subtly ostracized because though he came from money, he hated spending any of his own, always mooching off everyone else. While that wasn't unexpected in an 06er or an 02er, it was puzzling behavior in an 09er.

Lilly, however, could raise his status by merely talking to him, such was the power she wielded. Sean wouldn't have been Logan's first choice because that meant he'd be included in whatever plans the group made, but according to the girls' gossip, anyone else even remotely acceptable was either coupled or already had date for the dance. A breathless giggle drew his attention back to the unlikely trio, and he saw the mocking expression had faded from Veronica's face, replaced by a vapid wide-eyed one as if she was even remotely interested in whatever stupid shit Sean was spouting off now. He'd had conversations with the guy before and was bored within seconds; it was highly doubtful Sean had changed enough to be witty and deserving of anything less than derisive laughter.

"Why are you glaring at my sister?"

"Duncan, he's not glaring at Lilly. He's glaring in Ronica's direction while thinking."

"Why is he thinking in Ronica's direction?"

"He's probably trying to figure out which girl to take to the dance," Dick helpfully pointed out.

And it was true. Logan had the pick of Neptune's finest, even those already otherwise engaged if he wished, though so far he hadn't made a choice.

"I thought he was taking Caitlyn to the dance."

"Maddie, I heard they broke up," Kim whispered, though her whispers were generally loud enough to be heard across a football field.

"Oh no wonder she's been out sick this week. God, how humiliating for her!"

Logan was glad he was faced away from his lunch companions so they didn't see his eye-rolling; he was sitting right there. Did the girls think he couldn't hear them? He'd hooked up with Caitlyn Ford a couple times during parties in the past few weeks and somehow it meant they were dating. Logan hadn't truly cared what anyone else thought; he was getting an itch scratched and was gentlemanly enough to keep quiet when people assumed otherwise. There was only room for one woman in his life, and Caitlyn wasn't her.

He did have to admit that the rumors of their so-called break up were funnier than hell, especially the one where he caught her sneaking around with her PCH pool boy. Apparently he had no problem with her being a gold-digger, but a gold-digging tramp? Yeah, no thanks, he had_ some _standards.

In reality, Caitlyn and he didn't have much in common except their bank accounts and drunken need to fuck, but he'd tired of her whiny "oh god, deeper, harder, right there baby," so last Saturday night he'd ignored her and spent his time unobtrusively keeping track of Veronica. It was the first time she'd joined them in their "frat-like debaucheries" (her description, not his) and it had frankly surprised him given her history, but as the night wore on, it became clear she'd only come because she caved to Lilly's pressure, and not out of any desire to party. At least watching her had kept him from seeing a prowling Lilly disappear into a back room with some douche-nozzle; he'd only heard about her hook-up much later when Dick had congratulated him on not flying off the handle and breaking another dude's face. Logan had taken the congratulatory slap on the back because he couldn't exactly confess he hadn't noticed; Dick might get the wrong idea about his interest in Veronica.

"Logan are you going to eat your half of the pizza?"

Pain sizzled along overly-sensitive nerve endings when Duncan shifted closer and bumped Logan's shoulder in a bid to get his attention, and Logan winced as his friend inadvertently touched the edges of the wound he'd sustained two nights ago. He was eternally thankful October was cool enough for him to wear layers which disguised the bulk of his thick bandages.

"Yeah," he muttered, the pain still heavy in his voice, though to everyone else it probably sounded like irritation. He spun around in his seat and grabbed a slice with his right hand, the motion nearly unbearable but necessary since he wasn't a leftie and he had an image to uphold. "I think I'm gonna go stag to the dance." He'd honestly prefer to just skip the damn thing, but his friends' girlfriends were stoked to go, and, according to Dick "means free pussy without pouting." The things he did for friends, man.

"You can't!" Lilly shrieked from behind him, startling him enough to drop his pizza. She leaned against her brother. "We need to have even numbers and you'll be the odd man out."

"So? Maybe I just won't go."

Logan had no intention of staying home because there was no fun in drinking alone – something about it just smacked of alcoholicism – but it was fun to rattle Lilly. He hadn't expected much from Veronica's pledge to talk to his ex, but apparently something went down because Lilly wasn't as mean as usual after a breakup. If anything, he recognized the signs of her wanting to try again. Or fuck him – it wouldn't be the first time she fucked him while still dating someone else (at least he _thought_ she might be dating someone else though it was even harder to keep track of her revolving bedroom door than his). Hell, he'd banged her behind the back of the same guy she banged behind Logan's back when _they_ were dating. It was very day time soap opera of her, but he was willing to take his kicks where he could get them.

"We could go together."

Everyone stilled as Veronica piped up, her reappearance as unexpected as Lilly's.

"What about Sean?"

Veronica snorted. "Like I'm going to suffer that asshole."

Logan smirked at her over his shoulder. "What makes you think _I'll _go with you? I mean, you're quite a comedown after Caitlyn."

"Really? I heard she routinely _went_ down on anyone who wasn't you."

"At least she was an _actual _09er instead of a pretender," Logan said dismissively, distantly aware of his heart-beat ratcheting up.

Veronica plopped down next to him, ignoring Kim's squawk as she was forced to move over. She reached out and picked the pepperoni off his slice before popping it into her mouth. "Pretender I may be, but at least I wasn't caught at the Neptune Grand in flagrante delicto with my pool boy on _your_ dime."

The saccharine sweet smile accompanying the jab was distracting enough he didn't notice the insult until he heard everyone's in-drawn breath.

"A gentleman never kisses and tells."

"Fortunately I'm talking to you," she retaliated, the light of battle gleaming in her Union-blue eyes.

A sharp noise startled Logan away from Veronica and he glanced around for the source of the noise: Lilly's hands fell away from one another and he realized she'd clapped near his ear like he was a dog.

"Ronica, you're going with Sean and Logan will go with me."

Veronia side-eyed him a moment, then slowly shook her head. "Nah, Lils. I already told you I'm not going to the dance."

Madison snorted. "More like you can't afford to go."

Which was more than likely true since the dance was being held at the Neptune Yacht Club so unless she got a date to pay for it, there was no way she could afford the price of a ticket. Logan, as a life-long member, wouldn't even need to buy anything from the Homecoming Committee because he could just get in for free.

"Your point?"

"You're poor."

"At least there's hope for improving poverty. None for stupidity."

Logan nearly succumbed to laughter when Madison proved Veronica's point by clearly not getting her insult.

"Maddie, shut up. Ronica, you're going."

Veronica sighed. "Lilly, I know you don't hear this often if at all, but no. Just no. I'm starting a new job so there's no way I can ask for time off, especially for something as frivolous as a dance."

"Then why ask Logan to go with you if you weren't going anyway?"

Dick's habitual look of confusion had deepened.

"It's called a _joke_," she patiently explained. "Even if I weren't working, I wouldn't go with him."

"As if I would accept from the likes of _you."_

Veronica pulled a pen out from the small unobtrusive purse tucked under her arm and grabbed a napkin from the middle of the table. Logan craned his neck curiously to see what she was doing. A moment later she held up one side with a large seven written on it.

"This is for the dripping disdain," and she flipped the napkin to show a three. "This is for execution. You can insult me better than that."

Logan pondered it for a moment then shrugged. "Not worth my time."

"That's what she said."

"Really, you're going with that joke? It was played out the first time it was used."

"So was Caitlyn."

"Jealous much?"

"Of 110 pounds of fake tits and bleached hair? I think not."

"The lady doth protest too much."

"Wow, what a difference a little time makes. I go from guttersnipe to lady." Veronica batted long eyelashes at him coyly. He was so entranced – _no, wrong word brain_ – his normal situational awareness failed him and he wasn't able to avoid Lilly's clamping her hand down on his injured shoulder. Even as he jerked away from the touch, elbowing her aside as he did so, Logan knew that Lilly didn't _know _what she'd done, but he couldn't apologize right now because it was taking all of his reserves to keep the scream from escaping his mouth. He hadn't been surfing recently so there was no way he could explain away an injury, especially one so close to the last round of bruising both Dick and Duncan had seen. Though even surfing wouldn't explain this one.

Everyone's voices sounded muted and dulled, the way sound did when water clogged his ears, so Logan kept his gaze trained on Veronica's face, marginally aware her expression had sharpened with concern. He struggled not to pass out from the pain in front of God and country (or, his friends and the students on break), so he had no spare brain cells to contemplate what caused that emotion in her.

"I told him not to mix those pills," Veronica's voice suddenly cut through, but mostly because she was pressed up under his other shoulder, helping him to his feet. He sensed someone else reaching out and he reacted instinctively, plastering himself against the smaller blond so to avoid any more _bad touch_. They swayed as she wasn't expecting his full weight, but then they steadied, and she somehow got him from behind the table bench.

Time jumped a little because suddenly they were in the shade away from prying eyes. He couldn't explain how he always knew when people were watching other than an itching sensation between his shoulder blades; it had faded which meant it was just the two of them. She pressed him down to his back which helped with the nausea and propped his head up on her lap. Since there wasn't concrete or gravel beneath him, she'd obviously made it to the other side of the quad where there was a small grassy knoll.

"Are you okay Logan?"

"Yes?" he slurred a little.

"That's reassuring," she muttered, though not quietly since he could hear it.

"Nuthin wrong."

"You were fine then suddenly you weren't. That's not "nuthin.""

He couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell _anyone_. He tried once and the result had actually made everything worse. It also taught him a valuable lesson: don't rely on anyone but yourself.

"I took some pills."

"Uh huh." Her eyes followed the aborted movement of his hand, which he'd belatedly stopped from going to the wounded shoulder. He could feel slimy moisture and wanted to find out if the scab had broken, but doing it in front of her would mean he'd have to deal with questions he didn't know how to answer.

_Life's a shell game kid_, a familiar and hated voice whispered from his childhood, _you gotta distract your opponent with one hand so they ignore what the other hand is doing. _

Narrowing his focus to Veronica's face overhanging his, he reached out with his good arm and gently stroked the freckles he'd noticed earlier (_as soon as he saw her the first time after her haircut)._ "You're pretty."

"You're in pain," she retorted quietly, though the compliment daubed her normally pale cheeks with a hint of rose.

"I'm not blind."

"Just slightly feverish. You're sweating."

"Doesn't mean I don't know a pretty girl when I see her."

"Doesn't mean I will buy this charming act when I can tell you're trying to avoid my questions."

"You're pretty, I'm charming, we're a song away from becoming a Disney movie."

The compressed line of her lips showed she was done bantering. "Logan, you helped me with a problem. Let me help you."

Maybe it was the earnestness of her true-blue eyes, or maybe it was the pain still scrambling his brains, but Logan nodded once, wordlessly gesturing to the source of his agony.

Veronica was gentle as she helped him sit up to strip him of his outer shirt and slowly pull up the undershirt until she could see the large swath of bandages taped down. He couldn't turn his head to look when she peeled it back to reveal the six inch burn covering the width of his shoulder; Lilly had managed to dig into the center of the scab and pussy blood leaked through the ragged tear.

"Who did this to you?"

Such fury weighted each word, sparks of fire nearly spitting from her eyes as she glowered at him. Well, not _him, _but his skin.

"Girl I was fucking liked wax-play and it got a little out of hand."

The lie sounded smooth and plausible.

"Bullshit."

Or maybe not.

"I know what a curling iron burn looks like, Logan." _I'm not an idiot_ was unspoken, but echoed meaningfully.

He couldn't do his normal insouciant shrug for various reasons, starting and ending with _oh god the fucking pain_, so he flicked an eyebrow her way. "How is this any of your business?"

"Whoever did it to you wanted maximum pain because not only did they roll the length of the barrel against you, they also pressed hard and deep."

He knew, he was _there_.

"No clue what you're talking about, but keep going with your bogus theory."

"I'd say Caitlyn trying to get a little revenge, but I know you were only fuck buddies and not really dating, so there was no grand break up or need to retaliate for your asshole-ish behavior."

"Maybe I broke up with _her."_

"Right, cause that's your M.O."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Veronica ignored his question, preferring to return to the subject at hand. "Lilly could possibly be mean enough to do it, but I doubt you'd hold still even for her."

"Even for her?"

"Logan, you're a masochist and she's a sadist, so I can see you submitting to her if you thought that would get her back."

"Back the fucking truck, you think I'm that fucking desperate for pussy I'd allow anyone to do that to me?"

"No," she admitted quietly. "Maybe that desperate for love."

* * *

TBC


	15. Bird in Hand is Worth Two in a Bush

Use Somebody You Used to Know

I froze, unable to believe those words had passed my lips. Sure I'd thought it, especially after observing his interactions with girls and Lilly, but I can't believe I actually said it to _him_. I usually had better control of the brain to mouth filter.

"Screw you," he spat, yanking away from me despite the agony the movement must've caused, shoving his clothes back into place.

I reached out to halt him, but Logan avoided my touch, his face flushed with more than pain. I knew my words had burrowed beneath the highly buffed armor most people never saw past; I'm not sure why I was able to see beneath it to the vulnerable heart of him. His quips and boasts, the lethal way he used his beauty, were the smoke and mirrors to screen how tightly he held onto his friends - Dick being the perfect example of loyalty despite common sense dictating he should ditch such a knucklehead - and how he could only see himself through Lilly's eyes.

Lilly should never be _anyone_'s reflection as that girl's head was screwed on backwards. Too much money instead of parental authority combined to make her another cliche, a poor little rich girl whose self-worth was bound up in male admiration. I'm no one's idea of a perfect teenager, but at least I understand exactly who I am and what I'm capable of; neither of them can handle self-truths and seek to bury themselves in distractions to face themselves. It's probably why Lilly looks past her face in the mirror, focusing on makeup, whilst Logan sees himself in the eyes of girls wriggling beneath him, their legs and arms open even as their hearts remain closed. The few girls I've seen hanging off his arm are the type more interested in his pocket worth instead of what makes him tick.

"Be pissed at me for saying the truth -"

"This coming from a gold-digger."

His bitter interruption caught me unawares, despite me knowing he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate. The burning truth of his accusation leached the warmth from my skin as a cold weight settled in my stomach. I could rightly be accused of being a gold-digger, even if my connection to Lilly was platonic only, and it galled me he could call me on it. I have accepted clothing from Lilly in the past month, occasionally protesting, though not as much as I should. What can I say? I'm a teenage girl who loves pretty things that are out of her price range. Besides, we're shopping in Lilly's closet because that girl buys things on a near daily basis and her already huge walk in closet is nearly bursting at the seams.

"At least I know what I am. Do you?"

Our eyes clashed, blue to dark brown, and something dark and hot quivered in the air between us. I held my breath, suddenly too aware of the burnished gold of his skin close to me and almost yearned to place my hand on him again, though this time without causing pain.

He bared his teeth in aggravation, though I'm sure it was supposed to be a carefree smile because he _always_ smiled through the pain. It was startling to actually _see_ him when most people were ciphers.

"Not a what like you."

I blinked.

He blinked.

The intensity was broken by the sheer _absurdity_ of his response, more so because his intent was to wound me, as I somehow unknowingly did him, and yet.

And yet.

I would have to think about this, though not right now because I could hear the clack clack of heels on the uneven pavement, the sinuous beat a warning of Lilly's approach.

"What're you two doing over here?"

The sickly sweet tone was the rattle of an irritated snake.

Neither of us spoke for a moment, though my reluctance stemmed from it not being _my_ secret to tell.

"Making out, obviously."

Logan tugged me into his arms, my back to his impressively broad chest, and hands perilously low on my hips. I froze, my body rigid with indignation and surprise. His head dropped to my shoulder as his lips brushed against my ear.

"She's shy."

"That won't last long being with you."

"Lilly, you know he's just bull-shitting you, right?"

I'm not afraid of Lilly, not like the others, but Mama didn't raise a fool and I knew better than to get on her bad side. Logan was Lilly's was Logan's and I needed to stay away from the middle.

And right now it was a little difficult getting away from the middle with Logan latched onto me like a damn octopus. I could've sworn he only had two hands five minutes ago.

Lilly's lips curved slightly as fierce blue eyes swept over us.

"You're cute together and both of you need a date for the dance. I will allow Logan to take you."

"I'm not going."

"It would be rude to stand up your date."

"He's not my date, Lilly!"

Logan's arms contracted around me, squeezing me until I could barely breath. "Don't front, Veronica. You were _begging_ me just a minute ago." I couldn't see his face, but I could _feel_ the smirk. "Or was that just for a little alone time with Junior."

"Really? That's the most creative name you came up with your dick?"

"I could call it a stiffie, Mr. Mortis, Rigor Mortis, Flesh Rocket, Jack's Magic Beanstalk, Tall Tommy, Mushroom on a stick, Purple-headed Yogurt Slinger, or most ladies' favorite, Pedro."

"Pedro?"

"Hmm-mm."

"You do realize how juvenile you sound, right?

"Hey, if the name fits..." he writhed suggestively against my backside and I turned slightly so I could hip check him. I grinned triumphantly when he yelped and backed up with a wince; then I remembered about his wound and realized the pain might be more for his shoulder than for his balls.

I took a half-step towards him when Lilly's pointed throat-clearing reminded us both she was still standing there watching us. I whirled around and tried not to blush.

I wondered if my smile looked as fake as it felt, but it didn't matter since her gaze had shifted to Logan.

"You'll wear the black suit with the silver tie. It'll go best with the theme I have planned."

"Lilly - " his voice was serious now. I discreetly breathed a sigh of relief because he didn't want to be stuck with me any more than I wanted to be stuck with him. No matter the odd moments of awareness that cropped up, ultimately Logan Echolls was Bad News Bears for me. "I'm more worried about what _she's_ going to wear. It better not be rags from the bottom of a bargain bin."

Apparently I breathed too soon.

"Um, you do realize I'm still here, right?"

Lilly appraised me with a militant eye.

"I know the perfect dress for her to wear. Red okay with you?"

"Vermillion? Candy Apple? Maroon?"

"More Burgundy."

"White or cream roses?"

"With her size and skin tone, better to skip roses and go for a more delicate flower."

Logan looked at me in much the same manner. Maybe I should stamp both feet and open my mouth so they can judge my gait and teeth while they're at it.

"Orchid. And probably around her wrist because it would ruin the bodice."

"Someone's been taking notes when I speak," Lilly purred happily. Logan beamed back and the sun broke through the clouds and shone upon the Golden Children while birds flew from the trees to circle their heads in halos and cheerfully chirped.

Or maybe I had a brain aneurysm because these two were getting along while _dressing me for a dance I wasn't going to_.

"So I'm just gonna go..."

"You do that, 'Ronica. Don't worry, I'll call you later with all the details." Lilly hooked her elbow through Logan's arm – the uninjured one I was relieved to see – and pulled him away.

Dick intercepted me half-way across the quad, his normally placid face screwed up in a frown.

"What the hell was that all about?"

"Um, would you believe Homecoming dresses and corsages?"

He gaped at me.

"Yeah, I didn't think so. They're plotting to take over the world, Pinky."

"Don't they do that every night, Brain?"

I burst into laughter and clapped him companionably on the bicep. "This could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

His sputtering and red-face was enough to soothe my jangled nerves and I didn't look back as I walked away.

* * *

**A/N: I had a lot of fun using quotes and references to certain songs, movies and tv shows - kudos to anyone who knows which ones.**


	16. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Praying Love

Lilly hammed it up for the camera, the neckline of the champagne pale dress precariously low on her upthrusting breasts. Logan was surprised to feel annoyance rather than lust at the sight, then figured it was due to her wanting to mess with her mom instead of dressing for his pleasure. He gritted his teeth into a semblance of a smile when she stood before him, draping his arms around her hips for the last picture. It was a parody of the pose he'd wrestled Veronica into on Tuesday and it just felt _wrong_.

Celeste, standing next to Jake Kane, never scowled (probably so not to ruin her botoxed brow), but he considered himself something of a body language expert and could tell she was inches from throttling Lilly. Jake was putty in his little girl's hands so there was no expectation of him scolding her for choosing an inappropriate gown despite his irritation at seeing _so much_ of her, and Logan fully expected to be taken aside before they left the house with an idle observation about Clarence Weidman being an expert marksman.

When the door closed behind them – with a cheerful "be home at curfew" for her and the expected threat for him – he rolled his neck from side to side, feeling the pressure lessen with each satisfying pop. Lilly rolled her eyes at him and grabbed him by the wrist to drag him to where the Kanes' driver stood before the long silver stretch limo in his crisp chauffeur uniform awaiting their pleasure. She barely acknowledged the man when he opened the door for her, nodding his head with deferential respect, so Logan murmured "Thanks Rudy," as he slipped in behind her.

Once the car started, Lilly turned to him with a smirk, her red-painted mouth wide with anticipation and Logan recognized the look. It was her "I've got a _spectacular_ secret" expression which usually ended up with him worse for wear.

"What did you do, Lilly?"

"Pssh, you're too suspicious."

"Now I'm even more concerned. What's going on?"

Lilly flicked on the overhead light and crawled over the butter-soft cushions towards the custom-installed bar closer to the privacy screen separating them from the driver. His eyes caught how the sheer pale material slid over her lower body, highlighting the fact she wasn't wearing underwear. Logan shifted restlessly when memories of their past exploits began to rise, along with other things. While he had no problems fucking his ex in the back of the limo, he really didn't want to do when they were on their way to picking up their friends. Even Logan Echolls had some class; not much, but some.

She drew back with a satisfied hiss, an expensive bottle of wine clutched in her hand. Logan groaned internally because he knew, just _knew_, this was going to be a bad, _bad_ idea, but he wasn't any better than Jake Kane at saying no to Lilly.

"I've decided this year we're not going to Homecoming."

"We never _actually_ go to the dances, Lilly. What's so different here?"

"I don't feel like hanging out at Kim's party, so I've decided we're going to have our own private party on the beach."

"C'mere then," he beckoned lazily, lounging back with his legs spread a little. "Who says we can't get started here?"

Lilly rolled her eyes at him. "We still need to pick up Dick, and then 'Ronica."

"Dick?"

Logan was understandably startled because though Dick was his best friend, Lilly had never hidden her disdain for him. If she could avoid his company she would in a heart beat.

"I'm bored with his and Maddie's on-and-off again relationship so I've decided to hook him up with Veronica. She needs to get laid badly; might help take the stick out of her ass about certain things," Lilly smirked. "And from what I've heard, Dick does actually have a decent one."

"Wha-?"

"You'll help me get them together, right lover?" The gleam in her eyes was dangerous and sly, usually a combination that aroused him, but the idea of Dick touching Veronica didn't sit well with him and he shifted uncomfortably. "You get your best friend to fuck Veronica and we'll get back together. How's that sound?"

Lilly scooted over, one hand sliding up his trousered leg until she reached her goal. Logan's head hit the back of the seat with a groan as she manipulated him expertly, touching him exactly the way he liked. Her lips brushed against his neck and then she breathed in his ear as she whispered, "When we get to the beach, we'll leave those two in here while we go down to the waterline, and I'll ride you naked while you're fully dressed."

It was one of his favorite fantasies – if one of the tamest – and it nearly made him explode in his pants with excitement over Veronica finally doing that for him. He could see the moon highlighting every curve of her small pale body as she hovered over him, like some shy water sprite he'd tamed to his hand, panting with desire as she plunged down again and again until the tight silken clutch of her cunt made him spill inside her. He'd never gone bareback before, didn't want the risk of disease or pregnancy, but he could imagine how hot and wet she'd feel on his naked dick.

"Ooh, you like it," a foreign voice broke into his thoughts and Logan froze, every muscle clenching with horror when he realized the girl he'd imagined wasn't the one currently stroking him through his zipper.

It wasn't the first time he'd gotten off to Veronica while masturbating, but then he used the images of most girls he knew or seen so it wasn't unexpected; it was, however, the first time he'd thought of someone else while Lilly, _Lilly_, was with him. Their sex life together was hotter than almost anything else he'd ever experienced and she was more than enough to always keep his full attention focused on her, even when he was angry or hurt with her actions.

He was thankful Lilly couldn't read his mind because he knew she'd have a whole litter of kittens if she knew his attention had wandered away from her. To ease his lingering unease at where his mind went to, as well to assuage his guilt, he dragged her into his arms and plundered her mouth desperately as he tried to recapture the sense of excitement he was used to feeling with her. It was surprisingly difficult to feel anything more than base lust for her, especially when he remembered Dick telling him she hooked up with another guy last weekend despite knowing he was at the same party.

"Whoa tiger, save it for later," Lilly trilled as she pulled back, her eyes triumphant even as she fumbled for her little purse to fix her makeup. Logan felt a little dirty as he watched her because he realized she'd engineered this whole scene to prove some fucking point to herself; just like the dress, this scenario was set up for _her_ benefit and not his.

And definitely not Veronica's if she was trying to get her to sleep with Dick.

He didn't know Veronica that well since he'd only met her two months ago, but there was no way she'd randomly sleep with some guy, much less one of Logan's friends especially after the whole debacle at her last high school. He wondered what a guy would have to do to earn her sexual trust then mentally smacked himself for wondering.

"Did you know Veronica went to Pan High?"

"Really?" Lilly murmured distractedly, more intent on looking flawless than paying attention to Logan. It just confirmed the suspicion Veronica had never confided in Lilly.

"Does V even know we're coming?"

A blond brow rose in question. "You think I'd spring this on her without warning?"

"In a fucking heart beat. I know you."

Despite his teasing earlier in the week, Logan never intended on taking Veronica to the dance or even expected it. He just used it as a way to distract Lilly from the real reason why he left the table and nearly vomited at lunch. Besides, regardless of what Lilly condoned – it galled a little, her giving him _permission_ to take another girl, as if he were her pet – he realized there was something to Veronica's protestations about work. Unlike the rest of them, an obscene amount of money wasn't automatically deposited into an account once a month in a mockery of an allowance nor did she have access to a black Amex card courtesy of her parents. A small part of him was almost ashamed of his family's wealth, but he was too used to his pampered 009er existence to entertain the thought for long.

"She does have to work..." he began.

Lilly waved her hand in dismissal. "She was done with work by six-thirty. It's now almost eight, so I know she'll be at home by now."

"You know where she lives?"

"We _are_ friends, Logan."

"But _you've_ been to her apartment?"

"Dropping her off."

The idea boggled his mind, the Princess of Neptune slumming it, but then he remembered her enjoyment of sleazy entertainment and suddenly wondered if befriending Veronica wasn't apart of it.

Their conversation was interrupted by the slowing of the car as stopped before a gated community housing the Casablancas Compound, so named for the sheer acreage of cliff-top the Senior Dick owned. The privacy screen lowered enough for Rudy to inquire if they should key in the access code or just buzz the gatehouse for Dick.

Logan allowed Lilly to take over the logistics as she obviously orchestrated the whole affair, and sat back to think about her plans for the evening. He was still very uneasy with helping Dick hook up with Veronica despite Lilly's lure of resuming their relationship. While he knew Dick was relatively harmless, easily led about by his...er...dick, Logan couldn't explain the ridiculous anger filling him at the idea. He didn't care who Veronica slept with as long as it wasn't Dick. Or Beaver. Or Casey. Or Connor. Or God forbid, Sean.

It was more out of preservation, he assured himself silently, because he had no desire to witness the heights of her revenge if one of his bone-headed friends pissed her off. And was inevitable because all of them, with the possible exception of Beav, were young, dumb, and full of come instead of brains. He tried to imagine Veronica sleeping up with _anyone_ and the picture refused to form. It was odd, really, and something he'd have to think about further.

The door opened and Dick's cheerful face looked in.

"Hola mi amigos. How are you this fine _fine_ evening?"

"Get in," Lilly commanded irritably, and Dick shrugged as he slid across the seat, his black pants riding up enough to see he wore Sketchers instead of dress shoes. Logan stifled a chuckle then started with surprise as Dick's little brother also climbed in.

"What the fuck is this?"

All three boys rubbed their ears at the shrillness of Lilly's voice.

"It's Beav, duh."

"I know _who he is_ Dick, but why is he here?"

"'Cause he's my date," Dick replied, throwing a brotherly arm around Beaver's skinny shoulders. The younger boy merely rolled his eyes in exasperated fondness. "He's a sophomore and no girl invited him, so I did. Maddie was pissing me off and I didn't wanna spend time with her tonight."

Most people didn't understand the bond the Casablancas brothers shared, but Logan had known the two of them since he and Dick were in first grade, and tried to console the blond boy when he couldn't understand why his little brother couldn't come into class with him and attempted to spring him from Kindergarten. Their mother had died giving birth to Beaver and their dad never had time for them, instead consigning them to a bevy of nannies to rear them. The loneliness of their childhood made them grow closer to one another instead of away, until now it was rarer to see them alone then together.

So much so, Logan wouldn't be surprised to discover Beaver was taking courses from the local community college at the same time, so he would have enough credits to graduate when Dick did. He still remembered Dick's almost overwhelming panic when he realized their primary school – which housed K through 8 – was separate from Neptune High and Beaver wouldn't be there with them. It was a rough Freshman year for all.

"But then who'll be Veronica's date?"

"She's coming?"

"Yes, Richard, of course she is."

"I thought she had to work."

"She's off work!"

"Is Lilly on the rag? Is that why she's being so bitchy? Geesh, I'm just asking a question, no need to bite my head off."

"Uh, Dick, shut it," Beaver cautioned, the voice of reason as always. Dick subsided with a frown directed at Lilly, but then shook it off and let his naturally gregarious personality shine forth.

"So, what party are we hitting up tonight?"

"Actually, we're gonna drink on the beach."

"Awesome." Dick's love for his brother was paralleled only by his love for the ocean.

Beaver nodded but Logan knew he didn't care either way because he was right where he needed to be. He secretly thought a lot of Maddie's problems with Dick started and ended with Beaver; it was hard enough for teen girls to share their boyfriend's attention, but probably made it doubly worse when it was with his _little_ brother.

Speaking of brothers..."Where's Duncan and Meg? Why aren't they here?" Not that he expected her to include them in tonight's fuckery given how virginal the pair were despite three years of dating.

"Meg's parent kiboshed the dance, saying something about how it was a morally corrupt idea, so DK is staying in to "catch up on homework," Lilly snidely parroted, an unattractive sneer on her face.

While he wasn't as close to Duncan as he was with Dick, he'd spent enough time with Lilly's brother to know the quieter boy wasn't really a party animal despite his sister's attempt to corrupt him. Duncan preferred books and computers to drinking and surfing, which made him the ideal heir to the Kane Empire since he actually cared about his father's work and knew the company from the ground up since he'd spent a majority of his childhood in the office. It was a point of contention between Lilly and Duncan because Lilly felt he was trying to show her up by being the perfect child and she often acted out her feelings of jealousy and inadequacies through perverse ways, most times Logan her willing cohort. Despite having her father's affections, Lilly hated that Celeste doted on her "baby boy," and ignored her older child in favor of him.

It was a volatile situation most of the time and Logan was just glad he wasn't expected over for family dinners now that they weren't dating anymore. _Soon you'll get back together just like you wanted_, he reminded himself sternly. Resolving to forget everything but having fun, Logan tuned himself back into Dick's idle conversation, trying to ignore how Lilly was fuming in thwarted silence. He didn't doubt she'd come up with a different angle to achieve her means. An angry Lilly was a conniving one, and for some reason she was really fixated on thrusting Veronica onto Dick. Logan nearly snorted at his unintended pun but amusement wasn't his chief emotion.

No, it was foreboding because he felt that whatever happened tonight would have long-reaching consequences.

* * *

_TBC_

* * *

**A/N: This chapter really ran away from me - I blame Marilyn Manson for this one. I woke up to his version of "Tainted Love," and the growly lyrics really resonated with me and made me think of Lilly & Logan. It started out as all sorts of sexy and then just turned down a dark and lonely street to a dead-end alley. Forgive me? And I will admit my portrayal of the Casablancas brothers might've been informed my all-time favorite pair of fictional brothers.  
**


	17. Interlude - Duncan

The Other White Meat

Duncan's hands were slippery when he heard the distinct ring of his cell. He didn't bother looking at the caller ID because it could only be one person. They'd planned for tonight because Lilly was gone to the Homecoming Dance and his parents gone to L.A. for some business dinner. He knew he'd have hours or even the entire night to himself.

"You alone yet?"

He nodded then mentally slapped himself. "Ah, yeah."

"Good 'cause I'm at the front door."

Duncan's socked feet slid silently across the slick floor as he raced across his wing of the house to where his guest stood on the front step. Only Rosa, the live-in housekeeper, was home with him, but he didn't want any witnesses even though having a friend visit wouldn't be unseemly.

Trepidation fell away and genuine joy replaced it when he opened the door and saw Greg standing there after nearly three weeks apart. The digital age of communication made hiding their relationship easy, especially with Meg to cover for them, but it couldn't take the place of intimacy and sex. Duncan ignored the cameras trained on the archway when he tugged his boyfriend into his arms and kissed his cheek; he would go back later and carefully edit out the parts he didn't want Security or his dad to see.

"Baby, I'm so glad to see you."

* * *

**A/N: I can't really say where this came from other than the Muse poking around in my head. This sprang full-formed like Athena from Zeus the minute I wrote about Duncan and Meg in Ch. 16. I was curious as to _why_ they were so virginal after three years and this was born. And to be clear, Meg is complicit in the relationship and is fully aware her "boyfriend" is gay and unwilling to step from the closet for private reasons of his own. She's just happy to have someone who takes her places and occasionally buys her pretty things without pressuring her for sex in return. I don't normally interrupt regularly scheduled programming, but this piece just begged to be placed. I suppose I could make a 'verse out of this and make this part two, but it seems a hassle especially since then I'd have to timestamp it. No, after careful thought (while typing it out to you dear Fanficcers), I will leave it right here.  
**


	18. The Mating Dance

It's Raining,It's Pouring

I dragged myself into the apartment with a sigh of relief and plopped down on the Goodwill reject couch we scrounged up a few weeks ago. My feet were killing me after an hour long wait followed by a three mile walk from the bus stop, but Mom had to work herself and couldn't pick me up.

If Vinnie didn't pay so damn well I wouldn't have taken this job, but fourteen fifty an hour to sit there and look "pretty, young, and blonde" for answering his phones was a sure sight better than eight fifty at the Java Hut. Fortunately, as sleazy and unethical as he is, my boss wasn't about to pimp me out to his less than credible clientele and made sure to tell me to "beat it" before one of the Fitzpatricks showed up. Even as new to Neptune as I am, I knew he was playing with fire by doing _anything_ for them, but I sure as hell wasn't about to tell the man how to do his job, especially when I really didn't want to know what the Irish mob needed a private eye for anyway. It also didn't bode well that my mom knew Vinnie from the "old days," but that was a headache for another day. I was Goddamn grateful for a job and that's the line I'm sticking to.

The debate about dinner versus dessert was rudely interrupted by a knock at the door. I' reflexively grabbed the baseball bat leaning against the arm of the couch – Max and Weevil were staying in the city this weekend and wouldn't be coming to see me, so there was no reason for anyone else to come to the apartment.

"Yeah?"

I looked around and was grateful to see the slim shape of my phone on the counter, well within my reach if needed. Neptune wasn't as dangerous as other places I'd lived, but it always paid to be cautious.

"Little pig, little pig, let me in."

"Not by the hair on my chinny chinny chin."

"Little pig -"

"Call me little pig one more time and you won't like the results," I warned, the bat resting comfortably against my shoulder as I unlatched the door to swing it open.

Logan lounged against the frame with a smirk which widened into a grin when he saw my weapon.

"Hey slugger." He eyed the door its with four locks. "You got gold in thar hills? You're certainly locked up like its Fort Knox."

I shrugged. "One of those things. Why are you here?"

"Can't a guy just stop by to say hi to a friend?"

"A) We're not friends and B) you're dressed a little too nicely for this to be a hang out moment."

He preened beneath my regard, the silver aspects of his tie and vest set off nicely by the dark blue material of the suit.

"I'm here awaiting your pleasure, milady."

"Damn, she really doesn't give up does she?"

I had protested all week about my non involvement with the dance much to Lilly's disregard. I'm beginning to see why no one is able to say no to her: she's relentless and deaf when it suits her. Case in point, Logan on my doorstep.

"As you can see, I'm not dressed to go out and party, so thanks for stopping by." His eyes skipped down my body and I suddenly felt the reasonably business casual blouse and knee-length skirt was lingerie for all the protection it afforded me from the burning heat of his gaze. I instinctively reached for something to cover myself and found wood in my hand.

A well-shod foot stopped the door from closing entirely and I resisted the urge to slam my head against it repeatedly. I was so close, _so close_, to having a nice evening devoid of anything more pressing than Rocky Road ice cream in my jammies while watching horrible reality tv.

"Lilly's waiting in the car and isn't going to let this go."

His winsome "Nope," and "I have full authorization to drag you out by your hair," weren't comforting.

"Why is this so important for her?"

"She wants you and Dick to fuck."

The baldness of his statement startled him as if it wasn't what he intended to say.

"I see."

And I think I did.

When Lilly convinced me to go to one of the 09er blowout parties, I had agreed because I was curious to see if the rumors going around at school were true. The results were mixed: yes there was a lot of alcohol, illegal drugs, and tons of sex, but it wasn't really any better or worse than other parties I'd been to, just minus death and destruction and the police. I had noticed Logan there with stick-thin Caitlyn, and other than hand-feed her a sandwich (or a dozen), nothing else of particular interest and I wanted to go home.

Before I could, however, Lilly had stopped me with a hand to my wrist and a pitying smile on her face.

"He's so out of your league, it's not even funny."

Apparently she saw me see him and felt it her duty to warn me off.

"I'm not even trying to play ball with him, Lils."

I figured if she can call me "Ronica" I can call her "Lils," especially since it seems to annoy her as much as her nickname for me. Friendship is a tricky thing between girls.

"Good 'cause I would hate to see you get hurt."

Female to female translation: stay the hell away from my ex or I'll end you.

What I didn't understand was _why_ exactly she seemed to think of me as a threat. Logan didn't treat me like any of the other 09er girls; our conversations were filled with sharp-tongued mockery no matter what subject we discussed. He never flirted with me, _overtly_ checked me out (he was a _guy_ after all and teenaged boys are pre-programmed to look at pretty girls regardless of their personal feelings for them), or thought much of me aside from some white trash overreaching her place. He and I had reached a comfortable place where spite and derision made up ninety-nine percent of our interactions, so I wasn't quite sure how she interpreted the same situations so radically different.

Of course, her reasoning for _Dick_ of all people to sleep with me was a lot easier to understand; he was Logan's lifelong best friend and both religiously followed the bro code of never taking up with each others' exes or hookups. If Dick touched me then there was absolutely no possibility of something romantic or sexual ever happening with Logan.

I snorted, ignoring Logan's questioning brow or his "Want to share with the rest of the class?"

There were no words to explain the depths of my burgeoning fury or extreme fatigue so I didn't bother. Lilly would still be Lilly and I would still be a pawn. It wasn't often anymore I found myself in situations I couldn't control and I had allowed this to happen by not rejecting Lilly's initial overtures of friendship earlier in the year. Apparently I was lying when I told myself I was a strong and independent girl who didn't need anyone to bolster my self-confidence. I wanted so badly to fit in and pretend last year hadn't happened, I fell into a cleverly laid trap despite telling myself I had Lilly's number. I could've made friends with Wallace, my Chem partner, or gotten to know Mac, the one Max crushed on so hard and was still in constant contact with, but I had to be at the top of the social pyramid because I liked being there. Being popular, or tangentially connected to the popular kids, made school life easier and helped me forget what fucking hell my home life could be. It wasn't an excuse for being so stupid, but it helped calm me so I could plan.

Lilly wanted to play, so lets play.

"Mars, this is Control. Earth to Mars, Earth to Mars."

I snapped out of my self-actualizing wanderings and tuned back into Logan's presence. I had my epiphany while staring dazedly at his dimpled tie, idly noting how the white of the shirt made his skin look even tanner.

"Can you go wait with her? It'll take me fifteen minutes to get ready."

"Yeah right, I've heard that before."

The puzzled look had faded to be replaced by disbelief.

"Seriously, give me fifteen."

"Uh huh, I'll be checking my watch."

I waved him away and locked the doors before rushing back to my room. I quickly thumbed through the contents of my closet until I reached the back where the rubicund dress hung. It wasn't anything like the one Lilly tried to get me into – for one, a lot more modest – but it was the right color.

It was something Weevil had bought me as a belated birthday gift, an uncharacteristically gallant gesture which had turned his cheeks nearly the color of the dress. Back before everything went to hell at Pan High, he'd dragged me to the mall after he learned I'd been asked to a dance. He knew as well as I did that I didn't own anything suitable to wear and made me try on different outfits because he wanted me to have "a normal fucking girl experience for once, Vee."

We both despaired as I rejected dress after dress – wrong color, ill-fitting, too short – until we finally found ourselves in a little boutique with some fancy French name. The clothes on the mannequin looked stylish and pretty, but not fussy like so many of the larger department stores' merchandise. As soon as we walked in, I'd seen it displayed before one of the racks, the headless and armless torso somehow not as creepy looking with it on. The halter neckline, with a button closure at the nape, was loosely fitted to enhance a small bust-line or downplay a large one and had a small keyhole in the bodice; the soft silky material then gathered at the waist and fell to the knees in a fluid drape. I had nearly balked when I tried it on and discovered it was backless, yet Weevil's enthusiastic reception to it changed my mind. In the end, however, I never wore it for Trey and it hung unused ever since.

I grabbed the hangar, the slender pointed black heels bought as a complement, and pearl earrings my grandmother willed to me when she died. It took me five minutes to change, five to arrange my short hair into adequate hairstyle, and another five to spritz on perfume since I wouldn't have time for a second shower. I debated about doing my makeup, but opted for simplicity for practical reasons and merely brushed on some mascara and dabbed a little sheer gloss across my lips. It wasn't the best I'd ever looked, but it would have to do.

I twisted around to see if it hung okay, but realized I was just stalling. I rarely showed as much skin as I was right now, and it was even harder to remain bare since I was showing off Weevil's art sketched across my back. The tattoo was private and meaningful and I didn't want to have to explain it since it was doubtful anyone would refrain from commenting. I only had a white sweater to use as a wrap and it definitely would clash with my outfit, but I felt more comfortable as soon as I put it on.

My breath caught when I saw the stretch limo – the one Lilly told me her family owned - idling in the parking lot filled with run-down and beater cars, and I keenly felt the gulf between our zip codes in a way I hadn't ever before.

The surreal moment was broken when the back door popped open to reveal Logan.

"Wow a woman who's true to her word. Fifteen minutes on the dot."

I rolled my eyes at him as I slid in beside him, seeing Lilly on his other side and the Casablancas on the bench seat. I suppose I could've sat opposite of them, but I had every intention of throwing a monkey wrench in Lilly's plans, so I stayed where I was, absurdly aware of his long lean warmth against my arm and thigh.

"Given the company you keep – excluding dear Lilly of course – that's not saying much."

"Wooo buuurn," Dick snickered.

"Ronica, what the hell are you wearing?"

"I get easily chilled."

"It's in the low seventies!"

"But we're gonna be near the water so."

"That's a hideous sweater. Dick give her your jacket."

"I don't need it, Lilly."

"Dick don't be rude."

"Dick don't listen to her."

"Dick wants to be left out of this," he announced as he huddled deeper into his seat and further away from the two of us.

I'm pretty sure Beaver flashed us an amused glance, but by the time light from a passing streetlamp fell across his face through the window, he looked impassive.

Logan remained weirdly silent, but then I guess he was literally stuck between the two of us and probably didn't want to draw our attention. It was absurd of course because he was six feet of obstacle, but predators are drawn to movement so maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all.

"So, uh, since I'm here who do I owe for my ticket?"

It wasn't the best opening but I didn't want to spend the rest of the ride in awkward silence.

Lilly's laughter was a shade condescending and I restrained myself from smacking the shit out of her.

"As if we actually go to dances." The _like losers_ went unspoken but easily heard. "We're going to the beach."

"Uh okay so why did I get dressed up if I'm just gonna get sand in uncomfortable places?"

"I'm sure you will," Lilly murmured sotto voce.

Logan spoke loudly, probably hoping to drown out the barbed-tongue blonde. "Because it's tradition. You wouldn't want to break with tradition now would you?"

"Who else is going?"

"It'll just be us and I'm providing the lubrication." Even though I couldn't read the label in the dark, I'm sure it was an expensive bottle of wine or champagne because that's how my _friend_ did everything. To excess and without the thought of the cost.

"Fun."

"Oh, that's right, I forgot, you're a tee-teetotaler."

There was a taunt lurking in her voice which pissed me off even more. I didn't drink because I worried I had the alcoholic gene built into my mother's murky DNA or because I worried about the legalities of underage drinking, but mostly because I had seen the consequences of what happened when you drank with the wrong people. It was more a trust thing than anything else.

"Nope," I said, with a long-drawn out popping p sound. "So who's gonna open this bitch?"

The first drag of liquid burned my throat and settled in my stomach with a sour tang, but it wasn't due to the quality of the alcohol.

"We should play a game to go with this lovely Rose."

Lilly reached across Logan and took the bottle from me, her eyes never leaving my face as she took a swig. We were stopped at a red-light so the interior was lit up and I could hear someone's muffled groan at the obscene way her mouth was stretched around the opening.

"Let's play Truth or Dare."

I could tell the game wasn't an offhand suggestion so I was incredibly wary.

"Who goes first?"

"I will," Beaver unexpectedly volunteered, no doubt trying to put the brakes on the situation rapidly approaching the Cliffs of Insanity. Lilly pouted briefly as she was suddenly reminded there were others in the car with us, but didn't make a snide comment other than asking "Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"Are you gay?"

"Lilly!" was shouted from two different sources, but Beaver appeared unmoved.

"No."

"Are you a virgin?"

"Sorry Lilly, but he already answered your question and you only get one per round."

"He could be lying, Logan. It wouldn't be the first time someone hid in the closet. "

For some reason I didn't think Lilly was talking about Beaver, but I flicked the odd thought away because Dick defended his brother passionately, and quite eloquently for him.

"I would know if he were gay or not and I can definitely tell you he cashed in his V-card."

"Dick that's enough."

"No, Dude, she doesn't get to imply without verifying."

"Did Dick just paraphrase Reagan?"

"He's unexpectedly witty at times."

"So I see."

"Did you have to pay for it?"

"Unlike you Lilly, there are actually girls who don't require payment up front. It's called dating, you should try it."

I could feel Logan choking at Dick's heated words and I dug my fingernails into my palms so I wouldn't utter a sound. Beaver calmly reached out and pulled Dick back away from his confrontational pose, head aggressively thrust forward and a finger in Lilly's face. Lilly didn't respond, probably too surprised by the insult. Unfortunately for her, she broke a Cardinal Rule: you don't fuck with a Casablancas brother and not expect some sort of retaliation. I'd say she got off light. I heard what happened to the last kid who made fun of Beaver: his car ended up on the roof of the Neptune High's gym in pieces. There's a reason Dick and Logan are best friends, after all.

"Truth or Dare, Veronica?"

"Dare," I responded, thankful Beaver was willing to work through this worsening situation. I definitely had no intentions of speaking truth in this company tonight.

"I dare you to kiss Logan."

On second thought, if I'm fast enough Dick can't stop me from pushing the little shit out of the moving limo.

* * *

_TBC_

* * *

**A/N #1: You can thank/blame the three day rainstorm for the unexpected deluge (get it, get it?) of chapters. Apparently gray over-cast wet days appeals more to my Muse than perpetually sunny and hot days. Who knew? **

**A/N #2: Fixed continuity and spelling errors. Don't hesitate to point 'em out if you see them.  
**


	19. Interlude - Verbal Slapstick

Who's On First

"Who says I want to kiss her?"

"Who says I want to kiss _you_?"

"Who _doesn't_ want to kiss me? I'm awesome."

"Can I refuse the dare and take Truth instead?"

"No take-backs, just like in Checkers or Chess. Once you touch it, you gotta move it.

"I haven't touched him so therefore I reject your rules, Dick."

"Nope. You said Dare, therefore you gotta kiss the boy."

"Why are you speaking in a really bad Jamaican accent? Seriously, what's up with you guys and your horrible impressions?"

"_And you don't know why but you're dying to try to kiss the boy_..."

"Logan, am I going nuts? Is Dick really singing?"

"Sadly it's not a hallucination. Apparently his not so secret love for musicals is coming out, and he's not even drunk this time."

"Okaaaay, moving on. Beav, what do _you_ say?"

"Dick's right, Veronica. You can't change your mind just because you don't like the Dare; otherwise you forfeit your turn and have to take a drink."

"So, I _can_ get out of kissing him."

"I feel like I should be insulted by your lack of enthusiasm for this venture."

"Yes because it's my dream to lip-lock with you."

"Naturally."

"The breadth of your ego astounds me."

"That's not all that will astound you."

"It's like talking to a twelve-year-old who's balls just dropped."

"I'll show you a twelve-year-old...wait, that's just wrong. Strike that from the record, Your Honor."

"Are they always like this?"

"See Dude, told you."

"Bwak-bwak, bwak-bak."

"Real mature Logan. As if you calling me a chicken is going to make me do something."

"Hey, I'm just calling it as I see it. Bwak!"

* * *

**A/N: This was more an exercise in whether or not I could do a straight dialogue scene than anything else (plus I was feeling loopy and a lot of the verbal slap-stick wasn't fitting in with the more serious vibe of the L/V kissing chapter). I debated about deleting it, but screw it. I laughed so maybe you will too.**


	20. Intemperance is My New Favorite Word

I Store My Hearts in Mason Jars

Kissing was a means to an end; the opening gunshot for the race with penetrative sex as crossing the finishing line.

Kissing didn't include girls _licking _at him with a pointed cat tongue until he opened then sucking tender parts of his lips between sharp incisors as a strong slick muscle slid behind the barrier of his dentition, teaching him_ exactly_ why the French way was so lauded.

Kissing wasn't meant to be gentle yet fierce, tender yet bold, shy yet sly.

Great, now he's a poet.

All because Veronica _fucking_ Mars decided she couldn't pass up on a dare, straddling his lap like they were old lovers instead of squabbling acquaintances, cupping his face in her two tiny hands as she laid siege to his mouth like he was early Thirteenth Century Eurasia and she was Genghis Khan leading a conquering Mongol Horde across the map.

The whirling madness of his mind spitting out random facts would normally point to disinterest in the normal male, but Logan Echolls prided himself on reacting in abnormal ways.

Case in point: pleasure was pain and pain was pleasure.

Here, with _her_, it was the same. There was no difference. He was subsumed beneath a tsunami of lust, a tidal wave of desire, drowning beneath her light weight, the pressure of her fingers sliding up his cheeks into the hair at his temples and scritching _just the way he liked it_ as if she had any right to know. To touch.

Her thighs and calves, delicately slender like the stems of a flower, gave way to the bruising grip of his hands as he fought against reacting, showing her how much he wanted. Fucking _yearned_.

Then it was over as quickly as it started. Minutes, days, _eons_ since she started.

And the bitch wasn't even breathing heavy as she slipped away from him like the fog at dawn's edge.

"Satisfied?"

"That's all you got, Mars? Geesh, it was like kissing my second cousin Eunice."

"Spend a lot of time kissing your cousin Eunice, eh? Explains so much about you."

She leaned across him, balancing one hand on his thigh as she looked at Lilly.

"I see why you ditched him for someone else if he constantly compared you to a relative. Apparently in his family, incest is the best!"

It was a variation of their usual sharp-edged banter, mocking and cutting at one another, but this was crossing the line (ignoring the fact he himself brought it up to begin with) so he reached out to Lilly and grabbed the bottle, ignoring how the shifting of his body unsettled Veronica so she tumbled to the floor of the car.

The satisfaction at her huff of irritation should've soothed him, but something dark filled him when he saw Dick reach down and help her up, pulling her from Logan's side and next to him.

Next to the guy Lilly wanted her to fuck.

Dick wasn't ugly - Logan wasn't blind after all - so there was a possibility she might be attracted to him. After all, she went for Troy Vandegraff, who was a tall (though who wouldn't be next to her pixieish height?) buff sandy-blond guy. Remarkably similar to what Dick looked like. And she never responded to him when he told her Lilly's plans.

Maybe they were in on it together?

_No, no, they weren't. _

He could tell by the quality of Lilly's brittle silence. His skin crawled beneath the weight of Aaron's purloined jacket, an atavistic reminder of _prey-hunt-danger_. Logan hadn't survived worse things than a jealous ex-girlfriend to not recognize the patient coiled strike on the cusp of being unleashed.

"Since you accepted and definitively did the Dare, it's your turn to choose."

Was Beaver always this fucking equable? He seemed ignorant of Lilly's mood, a child poking a stick into the seething side of a monster, treating this like it was a game. Maybe it started out that way, but suddenly Lilly was viewing Veronica as less an ant beneath her magnifying glass glare and more of a worthy adversary.

_Why_ was the burning question. Veronica wasn't a threat to Lilly in any way. Logan hadn't even reacted or kissed the smaller blond back during her interminable embrace.

"Truth or Dare, Lils?"

"Shouldn't it be Logan's turn since technically he was sitting next to you, "Ronica? If we're going clockwise."

White-clothed shoulders shrugged in the faint light.

"You looked lonely. Left out. Kind of like the kid picked last for kickball."

"Truth."

Logan was positive the other two boys shivered with him at the frost nearly crackling off the single syllable.

"Do you want to get back together with Logan?"

"I-I-I..."

"It's a simple question, Lilly. You didn't invite anyone else to join us, you obviously engineered me to be Dick's date though I doubt you counted on Beaver's presence, so it points to all signs being obvious."

The car came to a smooth stop, though the privacy screen didn't come down nor did a door open. The Kanes' driver was well aware of his employers' preferences and wouldn't move until called upon. There was no escape or excuse for Lilly not to answer so for once she wasn't in control of the conversational gambits.

"Yes."

It's more an exhale than an answer and Logan waited to feel exhilarated as he was earlier tonight when she dangled the bait of resuming their relationship, but instead all he heard was the thud of his heart beat.

He knew her touch, the clawing of her long nails on his skin, the musky smell of her perfume lightly daubed between her breasts; blindfolded he could map the lines of her body dipping and swaying into the curves so vividly showcased in the near skin-tone dress painted on her voluptuous form. She's smeared her scent across his face and throat, instinctively marking her territory but never letting him do the same.

She was a known entity. Something quantifiable. A summer squall across the water; aggressive and intemperate,yet easily weathered and prepared for.

Logan tucked Lilly beneath his arm, pressing a kiss to the powdered skin at her forehead, and resolutely stared out the window.

"Soooo..." Dick drawled, "Not awkward or anything, but who wants to actually get out of the limo and party like it's 1999?"

* * *

"Who wants to play I Never."

"Oh god, what is it with you Neptune people and your school age drinking games?"

"Okay, you come up with a drinking game, oh Wise and Tiny One."

"Your extended silence says you can't think of anything better! I Never it is!"

* * *

"You've never went skinny dipping, 'Ronica?"

"Never really had the chance or wanted to."

"I knew you were a prude!"

"Dick, me never fucking on the hood of a five-hundred thousand car, in a fountain, or while skinny dipping in a pool of money, doesn't make me a prude. It makes me normal and not part of some white boy's ghetto-fabulous masturbatory fantasies."

"You're not a prude, Mars. Just boring."

"Compared to you, Mr. I've Fucked While Sky-Diving, you better believe it. How the hell did you get away with that anyway?"

"I'm really dextrous."

"Apparently like a circus freak."

"I never fucked in a Big Top before."

"_You_ have Beav?"

"What? You really thought I was a virgin, Veronica?"

"Well, no, but at a circus? Was it a bearded lady? Please tell me it was the Bearded Lady."

"Seriously, what's your obsession with beards?"

"Hey, hirsute people need love too!"

"I've never fucked a brawny mountain man."

"Details now, Mars!"

"I never reveal my sexual exploits."

"Does it count if I reported what others did?"

"Only if you were involved in some sexual manner."

* * *

"Damn, you're a fucking light-weight, Mars."

"Nah uh. I'm just not as ad-d-vent as you guys."

"I can help with that."

"Dick, that's your brother's ear you're whispering creepy things into. Go sleep it off."

* * *

People – and teens in particular – tend to live in the moment and trust tomorrow will come regardless of what happens tonight. They wouldn't write so many fucking songs about it if it wasn't a universal hope, an almost genetic quirk as it were of the human condition. Or maybe Logan was just too drunk to really process the overwhelming thoughts trying to swim in the stew of alcohol and lust currently residing in his brain. He lay half-propped on a sand dune with his jacket rolled under his head and his pants pushed down far enough to let his dick spring out.

Lilly's mouth was perfect on him as always, her suction impeccable and tight grasp just this side of painful to prevent him from spilling too soon, yet he was distracted by the small nude female slowly and calmly walking into the lapping waves, the hint of rising sun pinking the horizon.

She was far enough away he couldn't see more than the vague shape of womanly hips, the shadowed cleft of pale buttocks, and longer legs than expected on someone so tiny, but it was the dark ominous figure sketched across her back as if she were the artist's living canvas that taunted him more than the orgasm he was currently being denied. He wanted to touch the harsh black lines scoring her flesh, render the picture complete so he could see the finer details; it was a facet of Veronica Mars he hadn't expected.

She truly was a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

The warmth surrounding his dick dissipated and drew his attention back to Lilly. Fortunately she hadn't caught his inattention and merely looked impatient instead of furious.

"So are we gonna do it?"

"Well, when you put it like that how can I refuse?"

The pout wasn't adorable but vaguely disturbing as was the tenor of their conversation.

"I don't have a condom."

"I'm on the pill."

"You also fucked some Vato last weekend so excuse me if I'm not ready to catch whatever disease you might have picked up."

"Like you can talk, Logan! You were in Caitlyn Ford so fast her fake tits bounced."

"At least I know where her vag's has been."

"I hate you."

"Strangely I still want to come in your mouth."

He probably shouldn't have enjoyed watching her storm off quite so much, especially when she stranded him and a very nude Veronica Mars on the beach. Hopefully Dick and Beaver would wake up at some point during the ride home and call him.

On the phone he left in the limo.

_Well, fuck._

* * *

**A/N: I wanted to take the time to extend my thanks and appreciation to all my readers and reviewers who've stuck with me through the trials and tribulations of writing and posting this story. I am very grateful for all of your input and thoughts and can only hope you'll continue to ride this roller coaster with me. For all my guests and anons, I wish I could write responses to your lovely words, but just know it's always a great feeling to see your responses as well.**


	21. Save a Horse and Ride a Logan

Walking 500 Miles

Today I learned something new: walking while drunk sucks, but it does help gradually sober you up.

"I had fun despite myself."

"What does _that_ mean?"

"I didn't think drinking on the beach with you guys would be any fun. You guys are so -"

I stumbled, wincing a bit when the back of my heel rubbed against the forming blister. It was too discouraging to figure out how much further we had to go to reach some semblance of civilization so I didn't bother counting the miles behind us or ahead. Private beaches were great in theory but not in practice when the houses nearby were empty of life and this stretch of road wasn't well-traveled even here this early in the morning.

"So..." Logan encouraged, his jacket slung over his shoulder with one finger. He shouldn't look as good as he did with ungelled hair and wearing a wrinkled suit, but debauched asshole was a good look for him. Me, on the other hand, looked like something you found washed up on the beach.

Going into the ocean nude like some hippie intent on embracing her inner star child came about because I didn't want to witness the inevitable conclusion of Lilly's plan to seduce Logan back into her clutches. As the evening wound down to slurring lewdness and intimate whispers between lovers, their sprawled bodies obvious against the sand, I walked away to give them their privacy. The water teased my ankles and flirted with the hem of my dress until the drag of wet cloth irritated me into disrobing. It was oddly freeing being naked at the waterline with no witnesses to see my utter drunken foolishness. I had no doubt Logan would be too wrapped in his inamorata to mind me, and even if he did see, I was far enough down I would be indistinct in the shadows of dawn.

Logan and Lilly imploded as quickly as they got back together, something I had foreseen but hadn't truly counted on happening quite this soon. They're a lit match and an open gasoline container together, which can only end one way, so Lilly abandoning him wasn't unexpected, though I doubt she realized in her fury that she left him with me. Fortunately they were loud and their voices carried enough to harry me into wriggling back into my clothes before the limo door had closed, and therefore decent by the time Logan shuffled over to me.

"Less we say about Lilly the better. And Dick is a _dick_ but last night he was actually kinda funny. Also, I'd keep my eye on Beav 'cause he's a little Machiavelli in training." I shook my head. I hadn't really spent a lot of personal time with the Casablanca brothers outside of school and it became clear as the night continued they weren't fond of Lilly at all, though they (and by they I really mean Beaver) were subtle about it. I had my suspicions Beaver was trying to break Lilly and Logan up permanently as he'd spent a good portion of the night winding Lilly up and nudging Logan into laughing along.

"So you like Dick, huh?"

I stared up at Logan. His words weren't confrontational at all, yet his tone.

"Uh, he's still a mouth-breathing cretin despite flashes of wit. That's definitely not my type."

"So what's your type? Besides rapists, I mean."

"Christ on a cracker Logan!"

"Too soon?"

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

Logan reached out to touch my forearm, forcing me to stop.

"As amusing as it is to see you hobble around like a gimp, your limp is making me sea-sick and we're on dry land."

"You shouldn't be looking at me while we're walking anyway. Just keep your eyes focused ahead."

"Black top, shrubs, steer drop, and mountain. I'm bored."

"Har, har, you're so funny. "

"C'mon, just lemme see."

"What're you five?"

"Mars, let me see your foot."

"Why? It's not like we can do anything about it right now. Unless you carry a first aid kit in your handy-dandy Batman utility belt."

"Okay, ignoring your nerdy comic book reference and we'll get back to that at another time, let me see."

I whimpered a little as I slid my foot out, knowing if I looked at the seeping bloody skin it would hurt even worse than it did right now. He whistled.

"Damn, that looks hella painful."

"Thank you Captain Obvious!"

"Hop onto my back."

"Uh, what?"

"I can carry you part of the way."

"And what about your shoulder? It wasn't looking too good the last time I saw it."

"Just be careful where you put your hands. Here, slip into my jacket so I won't lose it."

He squatted down in front of me with his arms tucked behind his back to brace me. I debated it for a few seconds than gave in gracefully because my foot really hurt. Logan was one long length of taut lean muscle; I ignored any glimmering feminine response to his strength by focusing on the souring stench of expensive wine sweated through his skin mixed with traces of expensive cologne.

"Tell me when I get too heavy," I implored as soon as I was settled to his satisfaction, his hands clasping my knees where I gingerly wrapped my legs around his waist, trying not to dig my heels into his midsection. I felt bad because he had to maintain our balance since I refused to put my arm across his burned shoulder, but he was oddly reassuring.

"Please, you weigh less than my surf board. I won't have any trouble carrying you to Cade's."

"Cade's?"

His stride was smooth and relaxed despite my added weight, and he didn't sound out of breath when he finally responded. "Yeah, it's this awesome little diner I know a few miles down the road. We can get some breakfast and call a cab from there."

"I don't have my purse with me as it's in the limo with your phone."

"I have my wallet in my back pocket."

We were quiet for a while before I couldn't resist asking the question uppermost in my mind.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Huh?"

"We're not friends yet you didn't leave me on the beach and you're helping me out now with my blister."

"Geez, I must be a huge douche if you think I'd leave any girl in a situation like that."

"Not a douche, but an asshole."

The muscles in his shoulders and spine stiffened, which felt strange against the parts of my body plastered to him.

"I'm not like Troy. I don't play games with girls who don't know the score and I don't leave girls in potentially dangerous situations."

"Even Lilly?"

"Notice she's the one who left."

I had to concede the point.

"You don't think much of me, do you?"

"Your reputation kinda precedes you."

"Ah, so you're one of those who rely on gossip instead of fact."

"Fact: In the two months I've known you you got in trouble for filming bum fights. Fact: you've slept with at least three different girls after breaking up with Lilly, and don't even get me started on the utter mental fuckery of the Echolls-Kane relationship. That's stuff I _know_ happened, so I don't really need to listen to gossip."

"Touche."

I expected him to say more, some scathing retort caustic enough to singe my soul hairs, but he was silent instead, leaving me to rest my head against his uninjured shoulder while contemplating his dichotomous nature. Logan had a talent for keeping me puzzled by his behavior, acting like a jackass one minute and then a great guy the next just like the time he helped me out with Troy despite our enmity. Whatever he and the guys did to my ex must've made a statement because I wasn't contacted by his lawyer or a Surveillance officer about breaking the restraining order.

Which reminded me.

"What exactly did you do to Troy anyway?"

"Huh?"

"That day at the beach?"

"You know the Kane's website for videos, YouStream?"

"Yeah..." I was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

"Look for the video titled _Peter Pan High QB_._"_

"Am I gonna like what I see?"

"Let's just say Beaver is handy with a video camera and Dick has no shame."

"Uh, I never thanked you for taking care of him."

"And I'm still not hearing you say it now."

I huffed, my breath ruffling the hairs above his ears.

"You make it hard to be nice to you."

"You just make it hard."

"God, do you ever turn it off?"

"Too easy," he muttered, before continuing. "Not my fault you leave yourself wide open so don't flatter yourself by thinking I'm serious when I hit on you. It's reflexive when a girl makes provocative comments."

"So you prefer verbal foreplay?"

"Talking dirty? Sure, what man doesn't? If it's done right, none of this _oh baby so hard need it_ bullshit though."

"Not quite what I meant, but not surprising that's where your gutter mind went."

"Hey, I'm just calling it like I hear it. What other kind of verbal foreplay is there?"

I leaned in so I could whisper, "If you need to ask, you're not doing it right."

And to my dying day, I'll always say Logan stumbling and nearly dropping me was totally worth it to see him react to such a lame innuendo. Fortunately for his composure and my bones, Cade's Diner was straight ahead, a derelict-looking building with a small parking lot in front of it. Unused to this part of the California coast, I was surprised to see there wasn't any of the usual signs of human habitation – strip malls and luxury homes – but it made sense when Logan told me this particular area was protected by the Coastal Zone Management Act passed in 1972.

"Cade's Diner was built in the sixties when this was part of the PCH and was able to get past the ban through grandfathering."

The booth we sat at definitely looked like it _belonged _in the sixties with its cracked black pleather paired with the white and gold Formica counter topped table, but Logan assured me the food was worth the rather shoddy interior. Since I've gone to my fair share of sketchy looking restaurants which served divine food, I gave my order of a waffle stack with strawberries, scrambled eggs, four strips of bacon, orange juice, and an English Muffin on the side to the bored looking waitress who first waved us in when we walked through the door. Logan shook his head when she asked if he wanted his "usual" and asked for Apple Juice and some toast instead.

"You come here enough to order the "usual?""

Seated across from him gave me the opportunity to study his face and I saw the flash of embarrassment before it was hidden behind a stoic mask of indifference.

"Yeah, it's no big deal. I surf in the area a lot and this is the closest place to eat."

I could accept it at face value but … "It doesn't really look like a place an 09er would deign to eat."

"Reverse snobbery," he crowed, pointing at me. "So because I come from money, it must mean I should eat at the Neptune Grand's Blue Sapphire Restaurant all the time?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

It warmed me somehow when he burst into laughter.

My plate when it came out smelled delicious and tasted even better. Logan's eyes were comically widened when he saw me relish the food, muttering something about freakish appetites while making a disgusted face.

"How can you eat all of that after the drinking you did?"

My answer was less than polite as I spoke through a mouthful of sinfully light yet still cripsy golden waffle. "I get sick if I _don't_ eat. This is good for me. Want a bite?" It was fun to watch his face turn that particular shade of green when I held out a tineful of syrup and butter slathered waffle with a sweet bite of strawberry on top.

The meal passed in somewhat companionable silence, which paradoxically made me squirm uncomfortably because once again I was being confronted by the incongruity of Logan's actions versus his words. My earlier assertion regarding his behavior was true: he was an asshole and a jerk to plenty of people and I'd seen several different examples of it. Logan himself didn't contradict the information either.

And yet.

_And yet._

The idiom "exception to every rule," seem particularly apt when it came to him.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Logan didn't have a lot of friends. He had a lot of people who wanted to be with him for various reasons (Lilly included), but only two sprang to mind as being actual, _true_, friends.

The Casablancas.

In theory, it seemed obvious Dick was Logan's stooge and Beaver a mere hanger on because he was his brother's shadow, but the interactions I witnessed last night proved differently. Beaver was no cipher, a younger kid invested due to hero-worship or anything as easily explained as that. He _saw_ Logan, seemed to understand him in a way I couldn't because of the breadth of their interwoven lives. It was probably also accurate to say they were friends because of Dick, but at the same time, they were friends _in spite_ of him too.

If anything, Dick's obviously tight relationship with Beaver should've made jealousy a factor into either Casablanca friendship with Logan, but instead they'd made room for him in their kinship, making him a third. The usual boy banter complete with physical expressions of that bro-ness was present to the point of almost excluding anyone else with them. It made me wonder if Lilly was _ever_ accepted, even before their relationship had devolved into one-upmanship of sexual and emotional manipulation.

"Seriously, why didn't you just leave me there on the beach?"

"Are we back to that? I should've known you being quiet wouldn't be a good thing."

"Lilly isn't really pleased with me right now, especially after our kiss last night and I would think you'd wanna be in her good graces since you're back together again?"

I didn't mean to phrase it like a question but this morning's tantrum indicated things weren't happy.

"No I don't think we are." He waved a slender-fingered hand to indicate our current circumstances. "Somehow this is a sign we're not a good fit. Besides, you could be my worst enemy and I still wouldn't leave you there."

I was stuck by the assertion I _wasn't_ his worst enemy then my mind rewound his statement. "The moment she left you on the beach was the straw for you? _That_?"

A blondish brow rose.

"Why do you care?"

"I really wouldn't except I'm collateral damage in this _thing_ you two have. You two are the definition of toxic yet you seem to gravitate to her regardless and she to you. What's changed?"

Logan shrugged, the insouciance undercut by subtle tension in his clenched jaw. "Nothing. And that's the problem."

"Nothing being..."

He was being uncharacteristically open (at least with me) so I hoped he'd continue.

"You ever been with someone you knew everything about, and not just their favorite color or food or movie, but their deepest fear and shame?"

Weevil and Max instantly popped into my head, brothers of the heart if not blood. I nodded.

"And I'm not talking about the things that go bump in the night, but something real."

"Yeah, I knew what you meant, Logan."

"He ever betray you?"

My forceful "No!" kindled curiosity in his dark eyes. "Than you're lucky."

"You've taken her back before despite her cheating on you."

"And I realized it probably wouldn't change. Lilly couldn't change and it would be stupid to think otherwise."

"What brought about this great epiphany?"

"Her blowing me."

Talking about sex doesn't embarrass me, but a flush started in my cheeks by his brazen admission.

"Uh, okay...?"

"When we first started dating, we both were virgins and learning everything together." Logan avoided my eyes this time and fiddled with a spoon. "The first time she cheated and I caught her, she apologized and we eventually made up. But I could tell there was a difference in her abilities, that she'd learned new things without me."

"And you felt her do something new this time?"

"Yeah." They were on a break (probably) when she learned this new trick, but it didn't seem to be something he could forgive her for. Or maybe it was a reminder of things she had done in the past and it was an accumulative effect?

I sat back in my seat, fork carefully laid across my empty plate. In all my dealings with the Lilly-n-Logan Show, I'd never really thought about the emotional impact her sexual aggression would have on _him_. After all, weren't teenaged boys supposed to think and care with their dicks? Cheating was a bad thing, obviously, but since he kept taking her back over and over, it always seemed to me he didn't really care about what her experience would've taught her. I just assumed it was a territory thing, that he was an unthinking cave creature who needed some sort of validation having her gave him. I guess I never expected _love_.

"Can I get you two anything else?"

Logan looked grateful for the interruption as if he already regretted being so honest.

"The check and I need to use your phone."

"Sure thing, Hon. You know where it is; just let Reggie know I said you could go back there."

I smiled up at – her nametag said Winona – and gave my compliments to the chef. Logan rolled his eyes and threw down a thin plastic card before high-tailing it away from me and our conversation.

By the time the cab rolled into the parking lot, Logan had reverted to his usual jackass self, mocking my hair, clothes, and my essential use in life. I could tell he was still smarting so I ignored his deviltry until we came to my apartment complex.

"I'll pay you back as soon as I get my first paycheck."

"You could wear a slinky little number over to my house."

"Or I'll just give you the dollars I owe you instead."

"But that's not fun."

"Nor am I."

"You could be with the right moves."

I glared into bright eyes and longed to smack the smirk off his face. I knew he was doing this on purpose, riling me so I would forget the private glance at the boy behind the curtain, but he was just so fucking _good_ at annoying me.

And annoyance is what I will forever blame for what happened next.

I leaned back into the car, whispering into Logan's ear: "Oh I am, pretty boy. I know many ways to use my mouth and each one better than the kiss I gave you."

I winked at his stunned face before slamming the door and walking away.

God it was good to get the last word for once.

* * *

**A/N: Am I the only one who always thinks of Logan and Lilly when I hear "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem feat. Rihanna?**


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